NAWLA Joins “Fix Housing First” - Miller Wood Trade Publications
Transcription
NAWLA Joins “Fix Housing First” - Miller Wood Trade Publications
The Softwood Buyer P.O. Box 34908 Memphis, TN 38184-0908 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MEMPHIS, TENN. PERMIT 270 Address Service Requested Vol. 24 No. 2 The Softwood Industry’s only newspaper.....now reaching 43,462 firms (20,000 per issue) March/April 2009 2009 International Builders Show® Explores Economics, Green Building By Terry Miller Las Vegas, Nev.–Approximately 60,000 housing industry professionals recently attended the 2009 International Builders Show (IBS), held here at the Las Vegas Convention Center. While the housing industry overall is at one of its lowest points historically, the outlook of those in attendance and exhibiting was hopeful regarding opportunities in the future. Regarded as the premier light construction show by industry insiders, the 4day event blends hands-on demonstration with straightforward advice from Steve Jones, WoodSmart Solutions Inc./Bluwood, Richmond, Va.; Jack Opdyke, Mid-Atlantic Bluwood, Lebanon, Pa.; Charles Merando, WoodSmart Solutions Inc./Bluwood, Boca Raton, Fla.; and Pat Bischel, WoodSmart Solutions Inc./Bluwood, Northern Crossarm Co., Chippewa Falls, Wis. Terry Miller, The Softwood Forest Products Buyer, Memphis, Tenn.; Chris Retherford and Merry and Ralph Schmidt, Columbia Cedar/Lazy S Lumber/Panel Crafters Inc., Kettle Falls, Wash.; and Todd Fox, Panel Crafters Inc. Additional photos on pages 10 & 12 Continued on page 20 Quality Attendees Keep NRLA/LBM Expo Spirits High By Terry Miller Boston, Mass.–The Seaport World Trade Center here welcomed hundreds of attendees to the recent Lumber and Building Material (LBM) Expo, hosted by the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA). Co-spon- sors for the annual event were Better Brand, Bonneville Windows and Doors, Boston Cedar, Coastal Forest Products, The Delaney Co., Eastern Insurance, Hood Distribution, Huttig Building Products, iLevel by Additional photos on pages 12 & 14 Roger Grenier, Goodfellow Inc., Delson, Que.; John Kirk, Curtis Lumber Co. Inc., Ballston Spa, N.Y.; Patrick Steele, Goodfellow Inc., Manchester, N.H.; and Dan Boisvert, Goodfellow Inc., Albany, N.Y. Continued on page 20 John Eismeier, Hood Distribution/McQuesten Group, Manchester, Conn.; John Junod, Hood Distribution/McQuesten Group, North Billerica, Mass.; Bob Lattanzi, Hood Distribution/ McQuesten Group, Manchester, Conn.; and Liz Ritz and Doug Keller, Hood Distribution/ McQuesten Group, North Billerica, Mass. NAWLA Joins “Fix Housing First” Efforts Las Vegas, Nev.–At its recent executive conference held here, the North American Wholesale Lumber Association (NAWLA) joined the Fix Housing First Coalition. In doing so, NAWLA has joined a coalition of companies and organizations calling on their members to contact their congressional contacts to support a plan for housing stimulus. Fix Housing First (www.fixhousingfirst.com), a coalition of more than 600 housing-related groups headed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), is urgDavid Crowe ing Congress to enact several measures that will achieve this goal. They include an expanded home buyer tax credit that does not have to be repaid, mortgage rate buydowns to as low as 2.99 percent for homes purchased in 2009, and enhanced foreclosure prevention measures that will keep families in their homes and prevent additional inventory from flooding the market. Prospective home buyers are staying out of the market primarily because they cannot sell their existing homes and because of concerns about employment and the economy, according to a recent survey conducted by the NAHB. Mark Palmer Continued on page 20 Page 2 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer Who’s Who In Softwoods Tom Temple, Doug Calvert Elected To Board For more APA News and Information, go to www.apawood.org. Joe Andrews David M. Descalzi Joe Andrews is the vice president of plywood operations at Swanson Group in Glendale, Ore. In his position, Andrews manages the plywood department, and oversees production at two plywood mills. Swanson Group is a privately held forest products manufacturer that operates five mills in David M. Descalzi is the owner of Cape May Box LLC in Vineland, N.J. Cape May Box LLC manufactures a full line of Red Cedar closet systems, White Cedar deck boxes, doghouses and garden ware for the wholesale market. The company specializes in Atlantic White Cedar (No. 2 Common, 4/4 to 32/32, Ron Eldridge is a lumber buyer for Lumbermens, a division of Pro-Build, located in Lacey, Wash. Lumbermens makes and/or handles decking, fencing, siding, paneling and wall covering, ceilings, trusses, engineered wood, floor coverings, as well as framing lumber and plywood in such Continued on page 21 Continued on page 21 Continued on page 21 Ron Eldridge Rick A. Parish Thomas and Leasa Speck David Haddock Rick A. Parish is the owner of Decks Appeal in Plano, Texas. Decks Appeal manufactures wood decks, arbors, pergolas and trellises in Construction Heart Redwood, No. 2 Cedar, S4S KD Redwood (all 2x’s, 4x4, 6x6, all Cedar rough sawn, green). The company purchases approximately Thomas K. Speck is the owner/president of T&L Cedar Lawn Furniture Inc., located in Buhl, Idaho. T&L purchases Cedar in 5/4-to-2-inch thicknesses, A & Better, kiln dried, S1S2E and S4S for the manufacture of outdoor furniture. The company has been in business since 1986 when Speck David Haddock is the purchasing agent for Cox Wood Preserving Co. located in Orangeburg, S.C. Cox Wood Preserving makes and/or handles boards, dimensional lumber, decking, railing and exterior moulding from Southern Yellow Pine. The company also specializes in Southern Continued on page 21 Continued on page 22 Continued on page 22 Tom Temple, vice president of wood products at Potlatch Corporation, and Doug Calvert, president of Calvert Company, Inc., were elected recently to the APA Board of Trustees. Temple served on the APA Board from 2003 to 2007, most recently as vice chairman, while at Canfor Corporation. Calvert has served for 16 years on the APA Glulam Management Committee, including a term as chairman. He also served four years as chair of the APA International Market Subcommittee. The elections, which fill recent vacancies, return the governing body to 16 members. New Siding Standard Completed formance of wood-framed structures under the forces of tornadoes appeared recently in Wood Design Focus, the quarterly publication of the Forest Products Society. The five-page feature, written by APA Senior Engineered Wood Specialist Bryan Readling and former Senior Engineer Zeno Martin, is based on a paper the two presented at an FPS conference on the durability of wood-framed housing in late 2007. “While homes are typically not designed to resist tornadoes,” the article notes, “a significant percentage of tornadoes have peak wind speeds less than 120 mph…and provide a good opportunity to examine weaknesses in the durability of wood-framed housing when subject to high wind events.” The most common problems observed included wall to foundation attachments, wall to roof attachments, exterior cladding and wall bracing. Wood Design Focus serves as a technical forum for design professionals, educators, researchers, building code officials and product manufacturers. APA Product Evaluation Manager Tom Skaggs is a member of the publication’s editorial board. APA A new Standard for Performance-Rated Engineered Wood Siding (ANSI/APA PRP-210) developed under APA’s recognition as an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standards developer has made its way through a 45-day public comment period and been forwarded to ANSI for approval as an American National Standard. Publication of the new standard, which is based on and will replace APA’s proprietary standard PRP-108, is expected in the first quarter of 2009. APA served as secretariat of a Standards Committee that has been working on the new standard for the past year. The committee is comprised of 18 members representing a mix of manufacturers, suppliers, regulatory agencies, government, academia and inspection agencies. The Association is also utilizing its ANSI accreditation to spearhead development of a national consensus standard for structural insulated panels in cooperation with the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA). More information can be found on APA’s Standards Development page at www.apawood.org/standards. APA-Authored Article Featured in Wood Design Focus An APA-authored article on the per- WoodWorks Launches Webinar Series A series of WoodWorks educational seminars for nonresidential construction market architects and engineers got under way recently with “Fire Protection I: Allowable Heights and Areas,” presented by WoodWorks Southeast Technical Director Scott Lockyear, P.E. The other two scheduled webinars, set for February 23 and March 23, will cover “Designing the World’s Tallest Modern Mixed-Use Wood Building” (a nine-story structure in London), and “Fire Protection II: Basic Principles for Wood Frame Structures.” WoodWorks is the nonresidential construction market promotion program operated under the direction of the Wood Products Council (WPC), the Continued on page 21 THE WASHINGTON SCENE DNR Timber Program Update Last month, the Washington DNR offered 68 million board feet (mmbf) and sold 56 mmbf, which brings the FY09 total to 233 mmbf offered and 204 mmbf sold. The target for FY09 is 720 mmbf, of which they have sold just under 30 percent. DNR feels they are on track to meet their target, even with a 12 percent no bid rate. DNR will reappraise the nobid sales and return them to the auction table in the immediate future. Last week, the Washington Board of Natural Resources approved 60 mmbf of trust timber for sale in February at a $168 per thousand board feet minimum bid. Both minimum bid and final sales bid values are well below last year’s prices, reflecting a continued downturn in the forest products market place. This year’s winter storms created one bright spot in a depressed forest products market: high value transmission poles. Demand for the relatively uncommon but extremely valuable product is a result of ice, snow and windstorms across most of the United States. In other business, the Board of Natural Resources reviewed DNR’s proposed recreation rules, which have been in the works for almost five years. This is the first major rewrite in 40 years and the rules were discussed at length and then returned to DNR for further vetting. AFRC has followed the proposed rules from its inception and finds the current draft acceptable. Omnibus Lands Bill Recently, the Omnibus Lands Bill, a package of more than 150 bills to expand wilderness areas and protect other federal lands, passed the Senate by a 66-12 margin despite objections from Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK). Coburn effectively blocked passage of the Omnibus during the 110th Congress and had promised to use any parliamentary tactic available to continue to block it contending that the bill is heavy with wasteful spending. Those objections had delayed consideration of the bill, and Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) conducted a rare Sunday vote in an effort to pass the measure. The bill contains roughly an equal mix of Democratic and Republican sponsored bills and measures according to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The Omnibus designates nearly 2 million acres of public lands as wilderness areas across nine states and authorizes dozens of new studies for national park units, heritage areas and wild and scenic rivers. It includes some contentious measures, such as proposals to codify the 26 million acre National Landscape Conservation System and allows construction of a road through Alaska’s Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. The legislation also includes the Mt. Hood Wilderness, Soda Mountain Wilderness, and Copper Salmon Wilderness areas in Oregon. Ecosystem Services and Markets Last month, the Department of Agriculture announced the establishment of the Office of Ecosystem Services and Markets and that Sally Collins, Associate Chief of the Forest Service will become its first Director. This new office, which was authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, will develop new markets for ecosystem services on private forests and farmlands. The office has two major roles in building the foundation for successful environmental markets for private farms and forests across the country. First it will support the newly formed Conservation and Land Management Environmental Services Board, by establishing guidelines to measure ecosystem services benefits, report those benefits, and maintain records of the benefits measured. Second, it will help focus marketbased conservation activities for the American public. The Board which will oversee the office includes: the Secretary of Agriculture as Chair; the Secretaries of Commerce, Interior, Energy, Transportation and Defense; EPA Administrator; Assistant Secretary of the Army; the White House Council of Economic Advisors; and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. All of these agencies are involved because ecosystem services are key to many natural resource activities, such as endangered species, wetland mitigation and conservation activities. Governor Appeals WOPR Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski filed an administrative appeal to keep the Western Oregon Plan Revisions (WOPR) from being implemented. In a letter sent to Ron Wenker, BLM Acting Director, he asked the BLM to rescind the Records of Decision, provide additional public comments, and not implement the WOPR until the concerns and inconsistencies in his December 8, 2008 letter are addressed. The Governor’s appeal takes exception to a decision issued by Steve Allred, Assistant Secretary of Interior. In a letter dated December 30, 2008 Allred found that the Governor had failed to identify any valid inconsistencies between the WOPR and state or local plans. Therefore, the public comment period would not be reopened and administrative appeals could not be filed. The Governor’s letter expresses a desire that the Obama Administration work with state leaders and Oregon’s Congressional delegation “to build a broader understanding and support for” the WOPR. That goal can certainly be achieved without delaying implementation. Continued on page 24 March/April 2009 Page 3 Table of Contents FEATURES: 2009 International Builders Show . . . . . .1 NRLA/LBM Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 NAWLA Joins “Fix Housing First” Efforts . .1 Canby Builders Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Collins Cos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Zip-O-Log Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Attendance Down At NLA, Mood Upbeat .13 New American Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Tupelo Furniture Market . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Homer Earll Recognized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 DEPARTMENTS: Painting Green with PPG Who’s Who in Softwoods. . . . . . . . . . . 2 APA News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Washington Scene. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Sustainability: Retail Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 & 6 West Coast Business Trends . . . . . . . . 8 Midwest Business Trends . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Ontario/Quebec Business Trends . . . . . 25 South/Southeast Business Trends . . . . . 25 Western Business Trends . . . . . . . . . . 26 Northeast Business Trends. . . . . . . . . 26 Trade Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Stock Exchange . . . . . . . . . . 33, 34 & 35 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Classified Opportunities . . . 39, 41 & 42 “Humanity has the ability to make development sustainable – to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” H. Brundtland (Chair) Our CommonFuture World Commission on Environment and Development Oxford University Press, New York, 1987 Softwood Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Index of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 A Bi-Monthly newspaper serving North America’s Softwood Forest Products Buyers Published by Softwood Trade Publications, Inc. 1235 Sycamore View P. O. Box 34908 Memphis, Tenn. 38134 Tel. (901) 372-8280 FAX (901) 373-6180 Web Site: http://www.softwoodbuyer.com E-Mail Addresses: Advertising: [email protected] Editorial: [email protected] Subscriptions: [email protected] Wayne Miller - President/Executive Editor Gary Miller - Vice President/Managing Editor Paul Miller Jr. - Vice President/Assistant Managing Editor Terry Miller - Vice President/Associate Editor Paul Miller Sr. - Secretary/Treasurer Rachael Stokes - Advertising Manager Sue Putnam - Editorial Director Michelle Keller - Associate Editor John M. Gray Jr. - Production/Art Director Walter Lee - Production/Asst. Art Director Lisa Carpenter - Circulation Manager Canadian Correspondents: Toronto, Ontario, Vancouver, B.C. The Softwood Forest Products Buyer is the product of a company and its affiliates that have been in the publishing business for over 83 years. If your goal is to build green, be it through meeting local or national VOC regulations, qualifying for LEED® points, or consciously attempting to minimize the overall environmental footprint of your product line, PPG can help. For years, lumber yards and distributors have been able to provide factory-finished wood, fiber cement, composite siding, trim and moldings coated with PPG Machine Applied Coatings such as; Machinecoat,® Machinepro® and Duracolor FC ,® which are low VOC (<100), silica free, and HAPS (Hazardous Air Pollutants) free. PPG offers products that meet the most stringent environmental standards while delivering the performance you’ve come to expect. Other publications edited for specialized markets and distributed worldwide include: National Hardwood Magazine • Hardwood Purchasing Handbook • Import/Export Wood Purchasing News • North American Forest Products Export Directory • Imported Wood Purchasing Guide • Green Book’s Hardwood Marketing Directory Softwood Marketing Directory • Green Book’s • The Classified Exchange • Dimension & Wood Components Buyer’s Guide Subscriptions: U.S. and Canada: $65 (U.S. dollars) - 1 year; $75 2 years; $90 - 3 years; Foreign (airmail) $140 - 1 year; $235 - 2 years. Canadian and foreign orders must be paid by check drawn on U.S. bank or by wire transfer. Fax for more information. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject editorial content and Advertisements at the staff’s discretion. For more information about painting green with PPG Machine Applied Coatings, contact us at 1-877-622-4277. Page 4 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer CANBY BUILDERS SUPPLY Continues To Satisfy Customers By Brady Buffaloe Canby Builders Supply is a leader in building supplies in the greater Portland area. Canby Builders Supply is located about 20 miles southwest of Portland, Ore. All kiln-dried lumber is stored in warehouses. The firm stocks virtually every dimension of Doug Fir, Hemlock/Fir, pressure-treated Cedar, primed finger-jointed Cedar, primed Whitewood, clear vertical grain Cedar and Pine lumber that a customer might need. Canby, Ore.—The marketing slogan, “give the customer a good reason to come back”, is one that is often used, but never followed. It takes service, vast inventory and a commitment from employees to make that slogan come to life. At Canby Builders Supply, located here, they have been giving customers a good reason to come back for almost 60 years. “We are proud to offer everything for the builder, and Canby Builders Supply employees work hard for the customers of our company,” said Dick Morse, president of the company. It is that commitment to the customer that has made Canby Builders Supply a leader in building supplies in the greater Portland area. On the high plateau, bordered by the Willamette and Molalla Rivers, Canby was once the seasonal meeting place for tribes of local Native Americans and was well known for its annual crop of wild strawberries. The area known as Baker Prairie was an open expanse of ground in the dense Fir forest that stretched for miles. Today, that city, which sits about 20 miles southwest of Portland, has grown to a population of about 13,000 people. However, it is the greater Portland area that the company serves. “It is our diversity in products to build homes and having services like plans for blueprints that make us a successful business,” said Ken Guisinger, general manager. “For example, we are one of few lumber companies to have a large 10,000-square-foot hardware department for the front of our building.” Of course, lumber plays a vital role in the company’s success. “We stock virtually every dimension of dry Doug Fir, Hemlock/Fir, pressure Continued on page 22 Customers have been enjoying the service at the company for nearly 50 years. The tool department is complete with power tools, miter saws and more on display from the leading brands like Hitachi, Milwaukee, Makita and DEWalt, to name a few. Canby Builders Supply purchases millions of board feet of Softwood lumber annually. March/April 2009 Page 5 RETAIL REVIEW Lausmann Lumber Co. Now Distributes Lazy S Lumber’s Panel Line Loomis, Calif.-Based here, Lausmann Lumber Co. is now distributing Lazy S Lumber’s Panel Crafters line of knotty Cedar plywood and is building up its stock of FSC-certified Western Red Cedar and Redwood products. Lausmann Lumber manufactures and distributes grade lumber. The company began with a planing mill in Swisshome, Ore. in 1945 and shifted to a fully operational sawmill in Grass Valley with a production mill in Loomis. In 1981, the planing mill and dry kiln in Loomis, Calif. were converted to a remanufacturing facility that focuses on wholesale specialty products and distribution of all western Softwood species throughout the United States. • NAHB Elects Oklahoma Builder as Chairman Tulsa, Okla.—Located here, the Board of the National Association of Home Builders recently elected builder and developer, Joe Robson, as the 2009 Chairman of the Board. A 25-year veteran of the industry, Robson is the founder and president of The Robson Companies, Inc., residential and commercial property developers. With home prices falling and housing starts declining, Joe Robson Robson has been leading NAHB’s efforts to strengthen the housing industry in response to the economic downturn. He has been working alongside federal lawmakers and regulators to find ways to firm up the housing market and restore confidence in the American economy. “We look forward to working with the Obama Administration and the new Congress to develop policies that will help families facing foreclosure, stabilize home prices and put America’s home builders back to work as the engine of the economy,” Robson said. “NAHB will be pushing very hard for an economic stimulus package that recognizes the important role that residential construction plays in generating economic activity and jobs.” Among many positions locally and nationally Robson has been a member of the NAHB board of directors since 1990, he was the chairman of BUILDPAC in 1998, chairman of the Legislative and Regulatory Policy Task Force in 2002, chairman of NAHB’s Federal Government Affaires Committee in 2003, chairman of the Resolutions Committee in 2002 and vice chairman of the Budget Committee in 2005. Active in business and civic leadership positions, Robson has served as the director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka; a director of the Broken Arrow, Tulsa and State Chambers of Commerce; and a member of the Oklahoma Judicial Nominating Committee. Robson commented that he will draw on his local, state, and national experience to help NAHB service its members during the housing downturn. “These are challenging times, we don’t expect a significant turnaround this year but it appears we are near the bottom, and we have reason to hope that we will come out of 2009 on a modest upswing,” he said. “This may be a difficult year for home builders around the country, but we will continue to do all that we can to meet the housing needs of American families.” • Policy Agenda Outlined By NLBMDA Washington, D.C.— The National Lumber and Building Dealers Association (NLBMDA) launched the new year with a 16page document that covers the trade group’s position on several issues affecting lumber dealers across the nation. Titled the “NLBMDA 2009 Policy Agenda,” the document addresses a variety of topics that include the Michael O’Brien housing industry, immigration reform, free trade, affordable health care, the estate tax, green building mandates, union balloting and safety standards in the workplace, among others. “Simply put, the (agenda) will lay out in a clear and concise manner the issues of importance to the LBM industry in Washington and the principles we will use going forward to evaluate whether we will support or oppose an issue,” said NLBMDA president and CEO Michael O’Brien. “Public policy makers will know exactly where we stand as an industry.” Congress and key administration officials will receive copies of the document; the trade group said, as well as elected representatives in lumber dealers’ home districts and states. In addition, the agenda will also be used during the NLBMDA members’ annual visit to Capitol Hill, scheduled for March 16 to 19, 2009. To attain a copy of the NLBMDA national policy agenda, visit www.dealer.org. • ProBuild Announces Cuts with Growth Plan Denver, Colo.—Headquartered here, ProBuild’s chief executive officer, Paul Hylbert recently stated that “America’s number one LBM company has shrunk roughly 10 percent in employees and facilities in the last year, but the company is sticking with its strategy of growing, consolidating and gaining marketshare.” He added that one of ProBuild’s key initiatives is to put the entire company on a sophisticated and powerful new computer system, which will be implemented soon. Currently the company operates 503 facilities, including several acquired in the past year, down from the 563 reported to the 2008 ProSales 100. The acquisitions brought roughly 1,000 more workers into ProBuild to go with the 15,000 on the payroll as of early 2008, since then the total has been reduced to roughly 13,000, Hylbert said. At the recent International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, Hylbert said, “We’re trying to reallocate assets and rightsize the company.” He added that while talking to ProBuild workers nationwide, he stresses that, “The long term is bright, and we’re going to fight through. We’re going to take advantage of opportunities that come up. Our strategy is to keep growing, consolidating and gaining share.” An example of ProBuild’s synchronized growing and shrinking came when the company announced that it would close three facilities in South Florida but noted that two of those operations were made unnecessary as a result of acquisitions over the last year. • New Senior Vice President Appointed at RONA Boucherville, Que.— A Canadian retailer of building materials and home improvement items based here, RONA appointed Paul Jovian as its new senior Continued on page 6 Page 6 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer RETAIL REVIEW Continued from page 5 vice president of supply chain management. Jovian, who will manage the company’s entire supply chain, will report directly to president and CEO, Robert Dutton. Jovian’s team is made up of logistics demand planning and supply management. The appointment stems from RONA’s 2008-2011 Strategic Plan, which is intended to optimize the network and support business growth. “Our objective in creating a new vice presidency at RONA is to allow the optimization of our entire distribution network,” said Dutton. “While we are continuing the realization of our Strategic Plan’s objectives, this appointment along with the reorganization relating to operations and marketing announced at the end of 2008 will ultimately allow us to remain an industry leader in Canada.” Jovian was previously vice president of supply chain for major projects at Canadian Tire, where he held numerous positions. • Ace Now Number 6 on Entrepreneur’s Top Franchise List Oak Brook, Ill.— Home improvement retailer, Ace Hardware, based here has moved up to sixth place on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, an annual ranking of the best small business franchise opportunities for individual entrepreneurs and potential investors. It is the only home improvement retailer in the top 50 on the 2009 list published online and in a recent issue of Entrepreneur. The magazine states that all companies are judged on quantifiable measures of their franchise operations that include financial strength and stability of the company, growth rate, years in operation, startup costs and the opportunity for company-backed financing. “The relative recession resistance of our convenience hardware industry, coupled with the power of our brand and unwavering commitment to assist and enable our local owners, has helped contribute to our ever-better rankings,” said Ace Hardware’s president and CEO, Ray Griffith. “Plus, new investors and existing Ace store owners interested in opening additional stores have the best of both worlds: the support and strength of strong national brand and the ability to localize their business to meet the needs of the community.” Ace has experienced the largest expansion in its 85-year history since 2005, opening 420 new stores in the United States over the last three years. • 84 Lumber Closes Oregon and Denver Locations Eighty Four, Pa.—Headquartered here, 84 Lumber Co. closed more than 11 stores, including its only locations in Oregon as well as the Denver, Colo. location. The closed location in Redmond, Ore. was only a year old. The closure of the chain’s store and component plant in Henderson, Colo., leaves Grand Junction as the sole remaining facility in the state. Other closures included O’Fallon, Mo.; Lafayette, Ind.; Savannah, Ga.; Massillon and Washington Court House, Ohio; McFarland, Wis.; Harmarville and Stockertown, Pa.; and Georgetown, Delaware. Vice president of marketing and public relations, Jeff Nobers, said the prolonged housing slump left the company no choice. “The bottom line is these operations weren’t profitable and haven’t been,” said Nobers. Approximately 125 jobs were cut in store operations and 60 in corporate with about two-thirds of them at the company’s headquarters in Eighty Four. Combined with about 50 store closures in 2008, the moves leave 84 Lumber with 319 stores, six component plants, and 4,700 employees in the U.S. The company had more than 500 stores with over 10,000 employees three years ago. • New California Yard in Denair Denair, Calif.—Denair Lumber Company, headquartered here will add a yard in Riverbank, Calif. The new yard will be staffed with manager and other staff members from a Keith Brown Building Materials location in nearby Oakdale that recently went out of business. The site in Riverbank has been owned by the Kelley family for decades. Throughout the years it has been home to Copeland Lumber, Oakdale Supply and Central Valley Supply. Due to the housing slump, the site has been vacant for several months. Darin Kelley, coowner, said that the Denair location is still profiting and keeping 22 people employed. Opening the second location in Riverbank, he expects to expand his company’s reach and better serve new and existing customers. • Eighth Location Opened By Williams Lumber Hyde Park, N.Y.– Williams Lumber & Home Center opened a new hardware store. The Ace Hardware affiliate is headquartered here with locations in High Falls, Hopewell Junction, Hudson, Millbrook, Red Hook, Salt Point and Tannersville. In addition to traditional hardware departments, Williams Lumber has pet supply, Carhardtt Clothing and window and door departments. • Lumber Yard Supply Opens 10-Acre Distribution Yard Great Falls, Mont.– Lumber Yard Supply (LYS) recently opened a 10-acre distribution yard located here. The new distribution yard will be on 100,000 square feet in the former building of Pristina Pine, which declared bankruptcy and closed in 2008. LYS is a building material distributor with branches in Great Falls and Billings, Montana. LYS and iLevel by Weyerhaeuser have shared a partnership the past few years and offer a wide range of iLevel high-performance engineered wood products throughout Montana, northern Wyoming, western North and South Dakota. • Home Depot Opens 146,000 Sq. Foot Store Hadley, Mass.—Home Depot opened a 146,000 square foot store here recently. A project eight years in the making, the outlet is different from others in the chain. Building inspector, Timothy L. Neyhart said that the store was brighter with less emphasis on the color orange. “It is a very nice store,” he said. Steven D. Poulin is store manager for the company’s new location. • Lowe’s Opens New Stores Mooresville, N.C.—Headquartered here, Lowe’s Companies opened new stores in Tarboro, N.C.; Derby, Conn.; Pineville, La.; League City, Texas; E. Kansas City, Mo; Manchester Township, N.J.; Bastrop, Texas; Emporia, Va.; Avon, Ohio; and in Ruckersville, Va. The company also recently applied to build a home center on 50 acres in Monitor Township, Michigan and a 120,944 square foot store with a 31,383 square foot garden center in S. Lubbock, Texas. • March/April 2009 Page 7 Have Your Customers Choose Any Color For Their Siding. Let Us Do The Rest. Cabot Factory Finish™ • Fade-Resistant, Nature Inspired Colors • Applied in Factory-Controlled Conditions • Saves Time and Eliminates Weather Delays • Available with 5-year, 15-year or 25-Year Warranty To Learn More, visit CabotFactoryFinish.com or call 1-800-US-STAIN Page 8 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer West Coast Business Trends By Wayne Miller Executive Editor In mid-February, suppliers in British Columbia and down into northern California struggled to remain hopeful that both the U.S. and Canadian governments would find a way to stimulate home building (and the general economy) and turnaround ongoing job losses. “I got up last Monday and didn’t read the paper, watch the news on television or listen to the radio. Just avoiding all that negativity at the start of the day helped me have a better day,” a sawmill manager said. His company, as well as other mills and secondary manufacturers contacted, said they have reluctantly had to lay off a percentage of their employees in forced cutbacks due to weakening demand. “The fat was cut a long time ago and now we’re whittling on muscle,” he said. In the first week of February, Canfor Corp. cut its lumber production in Western Canada and in the U.S. South due to weak market conditions. The company reported that mills in British Columbia and Alberta were idled for two weeks, beginning February 9th, and a third shift that had been operating in Quesnel, B.C., was to be eliminated permanently. These moves will cut the Canadian lumber production by an estimated 183 million board feet per year. All of this, according to Canfor is due to the slumping demand for construction lumber and the housing downturn in the U.S. Al Fortune, owner of Mid Valley Lumber, Aldergrove, B.C., said, “You just have to make up your mind that you are going to get up and go to work each day and make something happen. I know a lot of people who are basically just sitting around waiting for things to change. That’s not the answer. Key for us is our relationships with our suppliers and our customers. We’re focusing on giving the best possible service and treating people the way we want to be treated,” he said. “Right now we are filling a highly mixed order of several items in Cedar products and Hemlock and Fir on one truck. In years past this customer we’re working with ordered full truck or carloads of one product from the biggest mills out here. Now he’s using our small company because we have the flexibility and the willingness to go the extra mile and give whatever product mix he wants in one load.” Carlos Furtado, sales manager for Sawarne Lumber, Richmond, B.C., Continued on page 27 Midwest Business Trends By Paul Miller Jr. Assistant Managing Editor According to sources in the Midwest, economic woes have worsened business orders that are usually slow during the winter months. However, there is some hope that President Obama will bring forward some programs to help the forest products industry. A Kansas dimension manufacturer said his company is reporting a sizeable decrease in revenue for 2008 as the housing industry continues to decline in the Midwest. “Sales are probably down about 30 percent year-to-date from South Dakota through the Oklahoma corridor,” he said. “That’s probably how business will continue to be until there’s a bump in the nation’s consumer confidence.” The source, who markets Radiata and Ponderosa Pine, said the nation’s wellpublicized financial problems further weakened his company’s bottom line. However, he believes the housing mar- 5IF/BUVSBM$IPJDFGSPN4UBSUUP'JOJTI TJNQMJGZ &"45&3/ 8)*5& 1*/& '*/(&3 +0*/5 #0"3%4 :PV TIPVMEOU IBWF UP CF B SPDLFU TDJFOUJTU PS HMPCBM LOPXJUBMM UP LOPX XIBU ZPVS XPPE JT NBEF PG PS GSPN XIFSF JU DBNF 8JUI&"45&3/JUTTJNQMF .JMM4FSWJDFTJTUIFMBSHFTUQSPEVDFS PG&BTUFSO8IJUF1JOFmOHFSKPJOU CPBSETJOUIFOPSUIFBTU 8FNBOVGBDUVSF&"45&3/mOHFSKPJOU CPBSETBOEPGGFSBWBSJFUZPGDVTUPN TFSWJDFTJODMVEJOHDIPQQJOH NJMMJOHFEHFHMVJOHmOHFSKPJOUJOH BOEQSJNJOH r *UTMPDBMMZHSPXO/FX&OHMBOE&BTUFSO8IJUF1JOF XJUIBQSPWFOIJTUPSZPGQFSGPSNBODFGPSPWFSZFBST r *UTNBOVGBDUVSFEEPNFTUJDBMMZCZ.JMM4FSWJDFTJOCFBVUJGVM VQTUBUF/FX:PSL r *UT mOJTIFE XJUI BO FOWJSPONFOUBMMZ GSJFOEMZ QSJNFS GSPN '.* r *UTTIJQQFEEJSFDUMZUPZPVSXBSFIPVTFPOUJNFBOE TFDVSFMZXSBQQFEGPSTVQFSJPSQSPUFDUJPO 'PSNPSFJOGPSNBUJPOPO&"45&3/BOEUIFTUPDLQBUUFSOT BWBJMBCMFWJTJUXXXNJMMTFSWJDFTJODDPN&"45&3/4'1# 5PPSEFSDBMMFYU ket could turn around quickly if money issues are sorted out. “People are a little leery about spending with banks not loaning like they should be,” he said. “Until we get things flowing again, business is going to be down. It’s a buyer’s market so why wouldn’t you think about buying a house.” A Florida-based wholesaler, whose client base is located in Oklahoma and other parts of the Midwest, added that sales are “pretty flat” in the region. “There’s growing anticipation about what mill closes or curtails production because that causes a small spike in the market. However, that small increase in business doesn’t last long.” The source said that his customers in some states have avoided purchasing a lot of lumber because of government sales taxes charged to inventories at the end of the year. In order to avoid those taxes, firms let their inventories get as low as possible before placing new orders and replenishing their supplies after January 1. The contact said he hopes that President Obama can help spearhead some legislation that benefits the forest products industry such as plans to improve the nation’s infrastructure. “Highway spending is always good for Southern Yellow Pine timbers, which are used in girders and stem walls,” he said. “It could certainly be a big help for lumber companies, but it will probably happen too far down the road to be of any significance right away.” However, the source said he does know of some activity coming down the pike. “There are some tract builders set to come online after the first of the year, but I don’t think anybody expects a good year in 2009,” he said. “We’re already behind sales-wise because mill closures and curtailments persuaded customers to buy wood that they didn’t need to purchase until after the first of the year. Those sales probably swallowed up some consumption that would have happened in December and January.” Green Building Could Triple In Five Years According to a recent report by McGraw-Hill Construction, the potential for continued growth in the green building market could triple in value by 2013 to more than $140 billion. That includes plans in Iowa City, Iowa, to make city buildings “more green,” which is part of a nationwide plan by President Obama. The McGraw-Hill report, entitled “Green Outlook 2009: Trends Driving Change,” states that the value of green building construction has grown from $10 billion to an estimated $49 billion since 2005. In all likelihood, that number will continue to grow over the next five years. “Green growth is phenomenal across the globe,” said Harvey M. Bernstein, vice president of industry analytics, alliances and strategic initiatives for McGraw-Hill Construction. “The business opportunities afforded by green building, even in the midst of a global economic crisis, are real and recognized by industry players. Furthermore, green building has great potential to help tackle unemployment through green jobs, and can address other societal issues, such as creating healthier places where we live and work.” The U.S. Green Building Council reports that green building has been less affected by the downturn in the housing market, and homebuyers are willing to pay for a green home. Perceived economic benefits driving green building include higher revenues, lower lifecycle costs and lower operating costs. However, most green building projects such as those in Iowa City will require additional funding from the federal government. Jim Schnoebelen, a district engineer for the Iowa Department of Transportation, said a commission is currently evaluating needs in the area. He noted that the state has yet to earmark any projects because they are still investigating the potential of those projects. Midwest Gas Prices Among Lowest In Nation As gas prices continue to fall nationwide, the Midwest region is reporting Continued on page 28 March/April 2009 Page 9 COLLINS Maintains Cutting Edge With Pacific Albus Collins Pacific Albus lumber is first well air-dried in the central Oregon sunny, dry and breezy climate before heading to the kilns. Lee Jimerson, product manager, and Alyson Kingsley, sales associate, are the Pacific Albus sales team for The Collins Companies. This photo shows the SII side-loading dry kilns that utilize 8-foot-wide lumber bundles, providing superior air flow and even drying. This is a view of the 24,807-acre Pacific Albus plantation that is certified through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Notice the owl boxes on the trees that help promote the owl population and balance the rodent population. A cant is sawn by a TMT curve gang saw, following any curvature in the cant. The TMT provides higher recoveries, straighter lumber and less slope-of-grain in the lumber, compared to conventional gang saws. Portland, Ore.—Family-owned since 1855, The Collins Companies, headquartered here, recently opened a $35 million, state-of-the-art sawmill with dry kilns in nearby Boardman, Ore. The Collins Upper Columbia Mill was built in partnership with GreenWood Tree Farms. The adjoining 24,807-acre Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified tree farm will be managed by GreenWood Resources. Collins manufactures an assortment of high quality wood products including TruWood Siding and Trim, Softwoods, hardwoods and Collins Pine Particleboard. Although Collins is known mostly for its Softwoods, the Upper Columbia Mill will produce and ship Collins Pacific Albus, FSC-certified plantation hardwood lumber. The Collins Companies operates Collins Pine Co. sawmill in Chester, Calif., as well as manages the 94,000acre Collins Almanor Forest. The facility manufactures 120 million board feet of Ponderosa and Sugar Pine, White Fir and Incense Cedar annually. The company also maintains a sawmill in Lakeview, Ore., which is supplied in part by 78,000 acres of company-owned land. Collins produces 65 million board feet of Ponderosa and Lodgepole Pine, White Fir and Incense Cedar there annually. While Collins Pacific Albus is a hardwood, it can be used in many industrial, western Softwood applications. “This is a lightweight, straight-grain, light colored, medium-to-fine textured wood that has a variety of cost-saving applications, for Venetian blinds, millwork (solid and finger joint), edge-glued panels, S4S and cut stock, pre-ripped moulding blanks, balusters, landscape timbers, furniture, pattern stock, picture frames, ceilings, veneer, pallets, crating and boxes, and cants for reprocessing among others,” said Lee Jimerson, Pacific Albus product manager. “Because of its light weight, it is also a great option for recreational vehicle Continued on page 23 Office and break room cabinets are made with clear melamine-coated Collins FreeForm Plus Particleboard and edge-banded with Edgemate Pacific Albus edgebanding. Been There, Sawn That Need pine? Then you need these guys. Their quest for good lumber goes into Idaho’s vast timberlands. The finest White Pine and Ponderosa Pine is their quarry. Let ‘em crank up the saws for you. tel: (208) 773-4511 fax: (208) 773-1107 www.idahoveneer.com Page 10 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer IBS PHOTOS - Continued from page 1 Larry Mether, Midwest Walnut Co., Council Bluffs, Iowa; Stan Smith, Midwest Walnut Co., Willow Springs, Mo.; Gary Keller, Midwest Walnut Co., Council Bluffs, Iowa; and Johnny White, Midwest Walnut Co., Willow Springs, Mo. Tommy Manshack, Boise Cascade LLC, Dallas, Texas; Todd Turnwall, Universal Forest Products, Dallas, Texas; and Drew Kappus, Boise Cascade LLC, San Antonio, Texas Denny Huston, Boise Cascade LLC, Boise, Idaho; Tom Hart, Boise Cascade LLC, Denver, Colo.; and Don Sherry, ProBuild, Denver, Colo. Rich Viola, Boise Cascade LLC, North Billerica, Mass.; Jim Abbott, Boise Cascade LLC, Philadelphia, Pa.; Jeff Dahl, Boise Cascade LLC, Boise, Idaho; and Roger Farnand, Boise Cascade LLC, Anchorage, Alaska Craig Combs, PPG Machine Applied Coatings, Medford, Ore.; David Jeffers, PPG Machine Applied Coatings, Raleigh, N.C.; and Patrick Hanulak, PPG Machine Applied Coatings, Pittsburgh, Pa. Doug Clitheroe, WRCLA, Maple Ridge, B.C.; Peter Lang, WRCLA, Vancouver, B.C.; and Paul Mackie, WRCLA, Mill Creek, Wash. Dave Bond, Cedar Creek, Inc., Broken Arrow, Okla.; Dan Griffith, TealJones Group, Surrey, B.C.; Pat Miller, Cedar Creek, Inc., Carrollton, Texas; and Kory Klein, Cedar Creek, Inc., San Antonio, Texas Brett Collins, Mike Pidlisecky and Tim Folster, Woodtone Building Products, Chilliwack, B.C. Kerlin Drake and Tom Diem, Anthony Forest Products Co., El Dorado, Ark.; and Randal Forsberg, D.A.C. Inc., Fountain Hills, Ariz. Digges Morgan and Russell Richardson, Southern Forest Products Association, Kenner, La.; Kim Drew, Southern Pine Council, Kenner, La. and Richard Wallace and Edmund DeJarnette, Southern Forest Products Association Scott Edwards, Carolina Stair Supply Inc., New Philadelphia, Ohio; and Randy Betton and Chad Henry, Carolina Stair Supply Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio Scott Chapman, Edwin Medero, Jody Craig and John Austin, Gulf Coast Shelter, Daphne, Ala. Jean-Marc Dubois, Nordic Engineered Wood Products, Albany, N.Y.; Tony Saad, Nordic Engineered Wood Products, Toronto, Ont.; Andrew Dingman, Nordic Engineered Wood Products, Peach Tree City, Ga.; Albert Renaud, Nordic Engineered Wood Products, Montreal, Que.; and Todd Lindsey, Eastern Engineered Products, Bethlehem, Pa. Mike Hoag, Bluwood/National Industrial Lumber, Columbus, Ohio; Steve Conboy, Bluwood/National Industrial Lumber, Southern California; and Mark Vuozzo, WoodSmart Solutions Inc./Bluwood, Southern California Doug Clitheroe, Interfor, Maple Ridge, B.C.; Paul Mackie, WRCLA, Mill Creek, Wash.; Janet Wheeler, Interfor; and Carlos Furtado, Sawarne Lumber Co., Richmond, B.C. Jim Denny, Huber Engineered Woods, Charlotte, N.C.; Larry Hawkins, Huber Engineered Woods, Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Kate Andrews and Terry Davidson, Huber Engineered Woods, Charlotte, N.C. Ryan Williams, Mike Boone and Gene Secco, Forest Grove Lumber Co. Inc., McMinnville, Ore. George Riley and John Haggerty, Williams Lumber Co. of N.C., Inc., Rocky Mount, N.C. Additional photos on page 12 March/April 2009 Page 11 ZIP-O-LOG MILLS Masters Specialized Products By Wayne Miller This is a photo of Zip-O-Log’s headrig located in Eugene, Ore. Eugene, Ore.—Zip-O-Log Mills specializes in carefully crafted, high-quality timbers available in an impressive range of stock and custom sizes. The company’s products may be found in high-end custom homes, ski lodges, country clubs, restaurants and even a 40,000square-foot horse barn. Zip-O-Log Mills was founded in 1944, and today is run by the third generation, Karl and Jim Hallstrom, who are co-owners of the company. Commonly known as “Zip-O,” the firm promotes itself as a long-length cutting mill that manufactures Douglas Fir timbers, clears, dimension and specialties. The company can produce timbers up to 52-feet in length, and is equipped to saw to size any dimension for specialty and custom orders. Recently, Zip-O-Log began producing kiln-dried timbers in 3x6 through 12x12. In order to produce the highest quality KD timber, Zip-O-Log pre-sorts the timbers that they dry. By doing this, they generate a dry timber that will be more suitable for saw sizing or surfacing. Zip-O-Log offers rough dry, surfaced, and saw sized timbers. “We can do whatever the customer asks for,” said Karl Hallstrom, adding that all cuttings are clear-end sealed with a wax-based seal. There are additional options on surfaced products, including bottom boards for added protection during shipping and handling as well as stickering each layer with lath or kiln sticks. The company also provides paper wrapping. “We pride ourselves on accurate tallies, on-time shipments and quality that meets or exceeds our customer’s expectations,” Hallstrom said. Zip-O-Log’s production is mostly No. 1 and Better FOHC, rough, full sawn, Douglas Fir cuttings. The firm offers posts and timbers in stock FOHC cuttings in 6x6 to 6x16, 8x8 to 8x16, 10x10 and wider and 12x12 and wider. In dimension, stock items include 2-inch rough fascia in a wide variety of sizes. The family-owned company also produces about 300,000 board feet per month of industrial and export Clear products. The entire facility is paved, which makes for cleaner and better working conditions. The majority of finished products are stored inside of a 55,000square-foot shed. “In the log yard, we inventory our logs by grade and diameter, so it makes it easy to go out and shop, just like being at a supermarket. You pick the logs you want,” Hallstrom said. “However, we recently had an order for several 12x18x48-foot. That’s a big log and a large stick of wood. We went out to the log yard and hand picked the correct logs, had the order out in one day and shipped it to the customer. We definitely go the extra mile to get what our customers need.” The Zip-O-Log mill encompasses nearly eight acres of mill site and a nine-acre log yard, located two miles away. Pennington Crossarm Co., a sister company, has three state-of-the-art dehumidification kilns and a modern planer mill and timber sizer. Efforts to establish long-term customer relationships have been successful, according to sales manager Mark Grube, who said some customers have been buying from the mill for over 40 years. He added that the company is willing to go the extra mile to give customers what they want, and in a timely fashion — even if it means producing a Timbers are being graded at Zip-O-Log’s grading station. Jim Hardeman measures timbers with calipers in quality control. custom order that it’s never tackled before. “In addition to regular everyday timbers, we’ve become very proficient at putting together piece orders and doing special cuttings for our customers,” said Joe Honochick, general manager. Zip-O-Log is a member of the North American Wholesale Lumber Assoc. (NAWLA) and the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB). To ensure quality control — both during production and shipping — the company relies on quality standards instituted by its founders and carried on by successive generations. “We all work towards a common goal of producing the highest quality products and to always meet or exceed our customers’ expectations,” Hallstrom said. The owners of the company believe that keeping up with the latest technology is a big part of Zip-O-Log Mills’ long-term success, and the company has consistently reinvested in new equipment, tweaking product flow to find new Continued on page 23 Zip-O-Log sales manager, Mark Grube; and general manager, Joe Honochick. Page 12 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer IBS PHOTOS - Continued from page 10 Terry Miller, The Softwood Forest Products Buyer, Memphis, Tenn.; Tiffany Diggins, Casa Fuente, Las Vegas, Nev.; and Jack Dalton, MidState Lumber Corp., Branchburg, N.J. Attendees view the products at a Lowe’s exhibitor booth. The Home Depot provided attendees a chance to view many new products. NRLA PHOTOS - Continued from page 1 Jerry Murphy, Lite Steel Technologies, Troutville, Va.; Jim Wickham, Boise Cascade LLC, Westfield, Mass.; Keith Foxx, Lite Steel Technologies; and Steve Bogue and John Tehan, Boise Cascade LLC Randy Kwist and Cindy Carlson, DMSi, Omaha, Neb. Liz Ritz, Hood Distribution/McQuesten Group, North Billerica, Mass.; and Skip and Verna Hammond, Hammond Lumber Co., Belgrade, Maine Stan Briggs and Tom Donovan, Eastern Insurance Group LLC, Natick, Mass.; and Jay Torrisi, Jackson Lumber & Millwork Co., Lawrence, Mass. Jason Adams, PPG Machine Applied Coatings, Westfield, Mass.; Patrick Hanulak, PPG Machine Applied Coatings, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and David Jeffers, PPG Machine Applied Coatings, Raleigh, N.C. Dale Coatsworth, Nick Georgelis and Bruce McArthur, Weaber Inc., Lebanon, Pa. James Lambert, David Mittelstadt and Steve Walsh, Maine Traditions Flooring, Solon, Maine John Conlon, Louisiana Pacific Corp., Queensbury, N.Y.; Dan Paige, Sandy Neck Traders, Harwick, Mass.; and Mike Fritz, Shed USA, Portsmouth, N.H. John Cooper, Duckback Products, Chico, Calif.; Alden Robbins, Robbins Lumber Inc., Searsmont, Maine; and Jason Friend, Duckback Products Matt Walker and Peter Nadeau, Down East Building Supply, Brunswick, Maine; Jim Robbins, Robbins Lumber Inc., Searsmont, Maine; and Jeff Easterling, president of the Northeast Lumber Manufacturers Assoc., Cumberland Center, Maine Joe Ferrelli, Mark Brassard and Dan Carroll, North Pacific, Concord, N.H.; and Patrick Amato, North Pacific, Springfield, Mass. Josh Kaye and Rich Paci, American Lumber Co. Inc., Walden, N.Y.; Rick Palmiter, Idaho Veneer Co., Post Falls, Idaho; and Robert Kruse, Sherwood Lumber Corp., Central Islip, N.Y. Jeff Shaffer, Sunbelt, Alpharetta, Ga.; and Ray Madden, New England Building Code Association Inc., Rhode Island Bernie Nugent, Warren Trask Co. Inc., Stoughton, Mass.; Ted Toppan, Quick Build Truss Co., Swansea, Mass.; Win Smith, Limington Lumber Co., East Baldwin, Maine; and Gil Adams, Warren Trask Co. Inc. Rob Marusic, Selkirk Specialty Wood Ltd., Revelstoke, B.C.; Manker Mills, WoodSmart Solutions Inc./Bluwood, Branchburg, N.J.; and Bob O’Brien, Helene Feinberg and Kenny Bernstein, Mid-State Lumber Corp., Branchburg, N.J. Additional photos on page 14 March/April 2009 Page 13 Attendance Down At NLA Expo, But Mood’s Upbeat Photos By Brian Tannington Glen Lang, Greg Haman, Ric Whitenight and Brian Kelly, Boise Building Materials Dist., Lakeville, Minn. Kevin Begin, Greg Ballard and Jeb Harper, Cedar Siding Inc., Andover, Minn. Tim Klimek, Charlie Meyer and Steve Wilson, Ferche Millwork, Rice, Minn. John Evans, Brock Brunberg and Gary Searle, Heritage Millwork Inc., Ramsey, Minn. Don Priebe, Kari Dorvinen, Leif Lindbo, Cliff Ronning, Dave Destiche and Tim Kennedy, Lakes States Lumber Inc., Sparta, Wis. Al Peters, Terry Zilkie and Kent Horn, Mid America Lumber Inc., Winnipeg, Manitoba Minneapolis, Minn.–Quality overshadowed quantity during the recent 2009 Northwestern Building Products Expo, held here at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel. While visitor attendance was down, exhibitors said the quality of the visitors and dealers was very good, according to Sally Means, vice president of communications and Continued on page 23 Jeff Springer, Brent Lange and Corey Wagner, Midwest Lumber, Stillwater, Minn. DURGIN CROWELL TRIED AND TRUE. Brian Gilmore, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co., Winona, Minn. Manufacturers of Quality Eastern White Pine Jesse Peterson, Eric Lummus and Jerod Kappes, Peterson Wood Treating Inc., Superior, Wis. • 30 Million BD FT of Production • 630,000 BD FT of Dry Kiln Capacity • Inline Moisture Detectors • Waco 30 XL Moulder • Modernized Cut Up Shop DURGIN & CROWELL LUMBER CO. 231 Fisher Corner Rd. New London, NH 03257 P: 603-763-2860 F: 603-763-4498 www.durginandcrowell.com Page 14 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer NRLA PHOTOS - Continued from page 12 Rich Stokes, Nordic Engineered Wood Distribution Inc., Bloomfield, Conn.; Jean-Marc Dubois, Nordic Engineered Wood Distribution Inc., Slingerlands, N.Y.; and Doug Jeffers, Stock Building Supply, Lakeville, Mass. Gary Davey, Woodtone Building Products, Chilliwack, B.C.; James McCarthy, Koenig Cedar Co., South Burlington, Vt.; and Mike Booth, Woodtone Building Products Tom Jones, Homer Earll and Jody Boates, The Teal-Jones Group, Surrey, B.C.; and Terry Miller, The Softwood Forest Products Buyer, Memphis, Tenn. Chris Kelliher, Boise Cascade LLC, Portsmouth, N.H.; Rob Abbott, James Hardie, Mission Viejo, Calif.; and Nick Clauson, Boise Alan Hoffman, Montebello Floors, Waynesboro, Va.; Ed Swider, Goodfellow Inc., Manchester, N.H.; and Shawn Kearns and John Detrude, Goodfellow Inc. Ed Burke, Western Red Cedar Lumber Association, Riverhead, N.Y.; and Tony Bonura, Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, Northport, N.Y. Bob Keener, Russin Lumber Corp., Montgomery, N.Y.; Ed Downes, Downes & Reader Hardwood Co. Inc., Stoughton, Mass.; and Win Smith, Limington Lumber Co., East Baldwin, Maine Craig Myers and Sheila Michaud, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Tony Bonura, Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, Northport, N.Y.; Roger Champagne, Capital Forest Products Inc., Annapolis, Md.; Tom Jones, The Teal-Jones Group, Surrey, B.C.; Jim Tuffin, Riverhead Building Supply, Riverhead, N.Y.; Homer Earll and Jody Boates, The Teal-Jones Group; and Will Poliquin, Woodcraft Productions Ltd., Smithfield, R.I. Dinny Waters, Progressive Solutions, Durham, N.H. and Nick Williams, Progressive Solutions, Richmond, B.C. Mark Alden, Cambia, Kingston, N.H.; Michael Corsello, Nash Lumber, Bay Shore, N.Y.; and Gary Weinstein and Jonathan LaPointe, Cambia Tom Murray, Bruce Smith and Larry Gagne, Rex Lumber Co., Acton, Mass.; and Mauricio Bravo, Weston Wood Solutions Inc., Mississauga, Ont. Eric Churchill, Ze-VO Technologies, Grafton, Mass.; Fred Churchill, Churchill Coatings, Grafton, Mass.; and Matt Pedrone, Cabot, Newburyport, Mass.; and Dennis Connelly, Ze-VO Technologies, Grafton, Mass. Denis Dube, J.D. Irving Ltd., St. Clair, N.B.; Andre Beaulieu, J.D. Irving Ltd., St. John, N.B.; Mike Correia, Boise Cascade LLC, Nutting Lake, Mass.; and Harold Ouellette, J.D. Irving Ltd., Dixfield, Maine David Bernstein, Mid-State Lumber Corp., Branchburg, N.J.; Kirk Nagy, The Waldun Group, Ruskin, B.C.; John Mehrkens, Trex, Bellport, N.Y.; and Jack Dalton, Mid-State Lumber Corp. March/April 2009 Page 15 Page 16 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer New American Home Showcases Green Technology At IBS The New American Home® 2009, which was unveiled in Las Vegas during the recent International Builders Show, feaures the latest innovations in green building, construction and design trends. The New American Home benefits from a proprietary gas-powered heating and cooling system with a SEER rating of 18, combined with other energy-efficient features, such as low-E windows, advanced insulation and horizontal solar overhangs, and window louvers enabled the home to achieve a Five Star-Plus HERS rating of 57. To minimize the quantity of materials used and reduce waste in the New American Home, the builder employed advanced framing techniques, including pre-manufactured trusses and floor systems. Manufacturers and suppliers of the New American Home were selected that could provide recycled building materials, or new materials manufactured from renewable resources or requiring fewer resources to produce traditional products. During construction, a recycling and waste management program included on-site bins for collecting and sorting materials to be recycled offsite. The New American Home benefits from a comprehensive design approach to achieve energy efficiency. Las Vegas, Nev.–Cutting-edge energy efficiency and stunning contemporary design are the keywords for the 2009 edition of The New American Home®, America’s premier show home and construction technology laboratory. The New American Home offers real-world demonstrations of the latest concepts in architecture, construction techniques, new products and lifestyle trends, and showcases the latest innovations in green building. The home was unveiled as the official showcase home recently at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2009 International Builders’ Show®, held here. Las Vegas builder Blue Heron and architect Danielian Associates collaborated with interior designer Robb & Stucky Interiors to create a home that is elegant, functional, and efficient, and green – the home scored at the gold level under the NAHB National Green Building Program. “The New American Home has been a leader in green building for years, but this latest edition is built to be the most energy-efficient home in the history of this series,” said Bill Nolan, chairman of The New American Home Task Force. “Builders, architects, engineers – anybody with an interest in housing construction will be fascinated by the natural gas-powered heating and cooling system, the photovoltaic cells and the solar water heating. Even the insulation in this home is exciting. “The whole package of energy-efficiency products work together to make this a near-zero-energy home,” said Nolan, who runs The Nolan Group, a housing industry consulting firm in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Details of this home, including design aspects related to site development; resource, energy and water efficiency; indoor air quality; and operation, maintenance, and homeowner education. The New American Home was sited to optimize solar resources and incorporates landscape design that helps limit water and energy demand. The development avoided environmentally sensitive areas. Soil erosion and disturbance was kept to a minimum with storm water pollution prevention plans and continued on-site monitoring and implementation of best management practices. To minimize the quantity of materials used and reduce waste, the builder employed advanced framing techniques including pre-manufactured trusses and floor systems, and used building materials that don’t require additional on-site finish resources. Manufacturers and suppliers were selected that could provide recycled building materials, or new materials manufactured from renewable resources or requiring fewer resources to produce than traditional products. During construction, a recycling and waste management program included on-site bins for collecting and sorting materials to be recycled off-site. The New American Home benefits from a comprehensive design approach to achieve extraordinary energy efficiency. A proprietary gas-powered heating and cooling system with a SEER rating of 18 combined with other energy-efficient features such as low-E windows, advanced insulation, vertical and horizontal solar overhangs and window louvers enabled the home to achieve a Five Star-Plus HERS rating of 57. This is before factoring the installation of a 12,000+ khz solar panel system striving for a net-zero level of electrical consumption. “The design concepts, construction techniques and materials used in The New American Home 2009 can be adopted for use in any home,” Nolan said. “In a sense, this showcase home is a collection of ideas for the industry to Continued on page 23 March/April 2009 Page 17 • Appalachian Lumber Co., Inc. (Page 23) 5879 W. US Hwy. 421 Wilkesboro, NC 28697 Tel. (336) 973-7205 / (800) 298-3202 FAX (336) 973-8356 Web Site - www.appalachianlumber.net E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - William Church, William Parsons, Scotty Roten Marketing Areas - National Products - Edge-Glued Panels, Stair Treads, Stair Risers, Architectural Mouldings, Custom Mouldings, Plank Flooring, Paneling, Moulder Blanks Species - Red Oak, White Oak, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Poplar, Walnut, Ash, Cherry, Hickory, Eastern White Pine, Eastern Yellow Pine Machining Capabilities - Moulding, Sanding, Tenoning, Edge Gluing Dry Storage Cap. - 500,000 BF Babcock Lumber Company (Page 69) Roaring Run Rd., P. O. Box 520 Champion, PA 15622 Tel. (724) 593-6124 FAX (724) 593-2390 Web Page - www.babcocklumber.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Darlene Cyphert, Rodney West, Steve Staryak, Blair Walker Products - Rough, Green & Kiln Dried Lumber, Dimension & Component Parts, Glued Panels, Stair Parts, S4S Boards, Squares, Turnings, Mouldings, Cut-to-Size Blanks Species - Ash, Red & White Oak, Soft & Hard Maple, Poplar, Cherry Machining Capabilities - Sanding, Moulding, Turning, Surfacing, Straight Line Rip 1-Edge Dry Kiln Cap. - 1,500,000 BF Begley Lumber Company, Inc. (Binder & Page 68) P.O. Box 2800 London, KY 40743-2800 Tel. (606) 877-1228 Web Page - www.begleylumber.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Matt Begley, John Patterson Products - High Grade Appalachian Hardwoods, Mining, Flooring & Pallet Lumber, Hardwood Mulch Species - Red & White Oak, Chestnut Oak, Hickory, Poplar, Beech, Hard & Soft Maple, Walnut, Ash Machining Capabilities - London, KY - Automatic Band Mill, Bull-Edger, Trimmer, Debarker & Chipper, Anti-Stain & Bug Dip, Mulch Processing Hyden, KY - Band Mill Dry Kiln Cap. - 740,000 BF Dry Storage Cap. - 3,000,000’ Canterbury Flooring (Page 105) 192 Industrial Blvd. Mocksville, NC 27028 Tel. (800) 940-9504 FAX (336) 464-2924 Web Site - www.canterburyflooring.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Simon Briggs, Beth Burton, Reid Easton Products - Flooring, Mouldings (S4S), Blanks, Paneling, Cabinet Parts, Lumber - Hardwood & Softwood Species - 50+ Domestic & Exotic Species Catawissa Lumber & Specialty Co., Inc. (Page 51) P. O. Box 176 Catawissa, PA 17820-0176 Tel. (570) 356-2349 FAX (570) 356-2485 Web Site - www.catlmbr.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Steve Gemberling International Sales - Kathy Heddens Marketing Areas - International, National Employees - 300 Products - Edge-Glued Panels, Face-Laminated Panels, Face-Laminated Squares, Rough & Milled-to-Pattern Solids, Butcher Block Panels, Drawer Parts, Stair Parts, Risers & Flooring Blanks, Full Range of Cabinet Components, Architectural Mouldings, Table Tops, Bed & Chair Mfg. Species - Ash, Birch, Cherry, Hickory, Mahogany, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Red Oak, White Oak, Poplar, Walnut, Basswood Machining Capabilities - Knife Planing, Abrasive Planing, Sanding, Equalizing, Edge Profiling & Sanding, Boring, CNC Fully Machined Parts, Moulding, Laminating Dry Kiln Cap. - 450,000 BF (Kilns) 1,200,000 BF (Pre-dryers) Dry Storage Cap. - 1,000,000 BF Coulee Region Enterprises, Inc. (Page 15) P. O. Box 319 Bangor, WI 54614 Tel. (608) 486-2882 FAX (608) 486-4235 Web Site - www.couleeregionenterprises.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Ed Solberg Marketing Areas - International, National Employees - 90 Products - Dimension, Panels, Drawer Fronts, Mouldings, KD Lumber Species - Red & White Oak, Hard & Soft Maple, Ash, Cherry, Walnut, Basswood Machining Capabilities - Moulding, Edge Gluing, Sanding, Double End Dry Kiln Cap. - 210,000 BF Coulee Region Hardwoods, Inc. (Page 15) P. O. Box 319 Bangor, WI 54614 Tel. (608) 486-4623 FAX (608) 486-2042 Web Site - www.couleeregionhardwoods.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Peter L. Solberg, Karl Christensen, Victor Owczynsky Purchasing - Kathy Solberg Marketing Areas - International, National Employees - 25 Products - Northern Hardwood Lumber, Mouldings, Dimension, Panels, Drawer Fronts, Edge Gluing Species - Red Oak, White Oak, Hard Maple, Cherry, Soft Maple, Basswood, Misc. Species Machining Capabilities - S2S, SLR1E, Sanding Dry Kiln Cap. - 225,000 BF Custom Molding (Page 27) 9061 E. 875 N. Odon, IN 47562 Tel. (812) 636-7110 FAX (812) 636-0044 Sales - John Graber Marketing Areas - Regional Products - Rope Moldings, Dentil Moldings, Hardwood Moldings, Embossed Hardwood Moldings, Blanks, Furniture & Cabinet Parts, Turnings, Vinyl Windows, Handles, Interior & Exterior Doors, Stairway Parts, Lumber, Bun Feet, Cut Stock, Dimension Parts/Components, Flooring, Handrails, Jambs, Legs, Millwork, Molder Blanks, Shelving, Stiles and/or Rail Stock, Strips, Surveyor Stakes Species - Ash, Cherry, Hickory, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Red Oak, White Oak, Poplar, Walnut • Machining Capabilities - Molder, Embossing Machine, Rope Molder, Straight Line Ripsaw, Sanding, Shapers, Planers, Band Saw, Resaw Dry Storage Cap. - 50,000 SF Fitzpatrick & Weller, Inc. (Page 19) P. O. Box 490 Ellicottville, NY 14731 Tel. (716) 699-2393 FAX (716) 699-2893 Web Page - www.fitzweller.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Dana G. Fitzpatrick, Greg Fitzpatrick, Ron Mercer, Joe Snyder Products - Solid & Glued-Up Hardwood Dimension, Edge Glued Panels, Glued Squares, CNC Machined Parts, Chair Parts, Crib Slats, Cut Stock, Cutting Boards, Door Parts, Drawer Parts, Machined & Semi-Machined Components, Moulded & Tenoned Parts, Musical Instrument Parts, Shelving, Specialty Items, Stiles and/or Rail Stock, Store Fixture Parts, Table Top Parts and Lumber Species - Hard & Soft Maple, Cherry, Red & White Oak, Ash, Poplar, Walnut, Mahogany Machining Capabilities - Boring, Sanding, Tenoning, Moulding, CNC Machine Center Dry Kiln Cap. - 400,000 BF Great Atlantic International, Inc. (Back Cover) 1814 Hobbs Road (27410) P. O. Box 10197 Greensboro, NC 27404-0197 Tel. (336) 286-2204 FAX (336) 286-3704 Web Site - www.greatatlanticint.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Richard L. McIntosh, Robert F. McIntosh Products - Lumber, Flooring, Decking, Plywood Species - Genuine Mahogany, Spanish Cedar, Jatoba, Ipe, African Mahogany, Sapele, Utile (Sipo), Tigerwood,Cumaru, Massaranduba Machining Capabilities - Greensboro, NC - Warehouse 250,000’ KD Inventory Gutchess Hardwoods, Inc. (Page 2) 185 Devereaux Dr. P. O. Box 618 Latrobe, PA 15650-0618 USA Tel. (724) 537-6447 Toll Free (866) 474-5862 FAX (724) 537-6922 Web Site - www.gutchess.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Bill Watson, Doug Hunter, Scott Schriefer Marketing Areas - International, National Products - Hardwood Lumber, Hardwood Dimension, Full 4/4 through 16/4 thickness, Cut-to-Size Moulder Blanks, Planing Mill, Edge-Glued Panels, Mouldings, Hardwood Squares, Over 20,000,000’ of Lumber Inventory Undercover, over 60,000 acres of Company owned Timberlands, over 4,500,000’ of Kiln Capacity, Container Loading Facilities, Balusters, Bench Tops, Cabinet Parts, Chair Parts, Cut Stock, Cutting Boards, Door & Drawer Parts, Furniture Parts, Hand Rails, Stair Parts, Strips Species - Red Oak, White Oak, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Cherry, Ash, Basswood, Poplar Machining Capabilities - Moulding, Tenoning, Shaping Gutchess Lumber (Page 2) 150 McLean Road P. O. Box 5478 Cortland, NY 13045 Tel. (607) 753-3393 Toll Free (800) 474-5862 FAX (607) 756-5088 / (607) 753-6234 Web Site - www.gutchess.com Sales - Bill Watson - [email protected] Doug Hunter - [email protected] Scott Schriefer - [email protected] Marketing Areas - National, International Products - Complete List of Dimension Products And Services Species - Ash, Basswood, Cherry, Red Oak, White Oak, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Poplar Machining Capabilities - Sanding, Shaping, Mouldings, Blanks, Planing, Cut-To-Size Dry Kiln Cap. - 5,000,000+ BF Dry Storage Cap. - 30,000,000+ BF Hill Wood Products, Inc. (Page 5) 9483 Ashawa Road P. O. Box 398 Cook, MN 55723 Tel. (218) 666-5933 Tel. (800) 788-9689 FAX (218) 666-5726 Web Site - www.hillwoodproducts.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Randy Rosandich, Leah Kuyava, Andy Richey, Kris Wilson Marketing Areas - National, International Employees - 75 Products - Dimension, Joining Biscuits, Thin Sawn Veneer, Veneer, Flooring and Lumber Species - White Birch, Aspen, Ash, Oak, Maple, Cherry, Walnut Machining Capabilities - Shaping, Lineal Laminating, Edge Banding Dry Kiln Cap. - 150,000’ Dry Storage Cap. - 200,000 BF Indiana Dimension, Inc. (Page 21) 1621 W. Market St. P. O. Box 568 Logansport, IN 46947-0568 Tel. (888) 875-4434 FAX (574) 739-2818 Sales - Don Rowe, Roy Rentschler Products - Cabinet Doors, Mouldings, Edge Glued Panels, S4S Products, Hardwood Dimension, Ready-to-Assemble Component Parts, Blanks, Cabinet Parts, Cut Stock, Doors, Ready-to-Assemble Door Parts, Furniture Parts, Moulded Parts and Lumber Species - White & Red Oak, Poplar, Ash, Hickory, Hard Maple, Cherry, Walnut, Alder, W. Soft Maple Machining Capabilities - Sanding, Shaping, Tenoning Inter-Continental Hardwoods, Inc. (Inside Front Cover) 6841 Malpass Corner Road, P. O. Drawer 119 Currie, NC 28435 Tel. (910) 283-9960 FAX (910) 283-9964 Web Page - www.ichardwoods.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Tom Herga, Kiry Laufer, Lenny Shibley Marketing Areas - National, International Products - Lumber, Squares, Dimension, Flooring, Machined Products Species - Afrormosia, Aniegre, Bubinga, Beech (European), Bloodwood, Cedar (Spanish), Cumaru, Goncalo Alves, Ipe, Iroko, Jatoba, Lacewood, Genuine & African Mahogany, Morado, Makore, Mansonia, Padauk, Sapele, Peruvian Walnut, Purpleheart, Santos Mahogany, Teak, Utile (Sipo), Wenge, Zebrawood Machining Capabilities - Distribution/Concentration Yard, 5 Dry Kilns, 3 Warehouses, Pre-Dryers, Green/Dry Chain, Sawmills In Gabon, Congo-Ghana, Offices-Africa, Asia, Europe, S. America BUYERS! • Irving, J. D., Ltd. Hardwood Division (Bookmark) 632 rue Principale Clair, NB E7A 2H2 Tel. (506) 992-9020 FAX (506) 992-9021 E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Dennis Cuffley Products - Components for Flooring, Lumber 4/4 thru 8/4, Blanks, Kitchen Cabinet Components Species - Hard Maple, White & Yellow Birch, Red Oak Machining Capabilities - Ripping, Sawing, SLR, Moulding, Surfacing S2S Dry Kiln Cap. - 11,000,000 BF Annually Dry Storage Cap. - 1,000,000’ Production - 62,000,000 BF Jay-Gee Wood Products Company, Inc. (Page 9) 28W206 Commercial Ave. Barrington, IL 60010 Tel. (847) 381-7200 FAX (847) 381-0078 Web Page - www.jaygeewood.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Peter C. Freund Products - Mouldings, Flat Panels, Plaques, Clocks, Desk Accessories, Cutting Boards, Kitchen Items, Picture Frames, RTA Furniture Parts, Edge Glued Panels, Blanks Species - Walnut, Hard & Soft Maple, Red Oak, Ash, Poplar, Cherry Machining Capabilities - Boring, Routing, Sanding, Shaping, Finishing Josefs Art Woodturning & Son, Inc. (Page 29) 71 Sewell St. Hempstead, NY 11550 Tel. (516) 489-3080 Toll Free 1-877-JAWSINC FAX (516) 489-3148 Web Site - www.jawsinc.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Oscar Kosic Marketing Areas - International, National Employees - 12 Products - Architectural Curved Mouldings & Millwork, Stair Components, Wood Columns, Wood Turnings (Custom or Full Production), Balusters, Wood Balls, Posts, Finials, Table Legs, Bed Posts, Rope Columns, Rope Mouldings, Kitchen Turnings, Bun Feet, Lumber, Etc. Species - All Domestic & Imported Woods Machining Capabilities - Boring, Carving, Finger Jointing, CNC Turning & Machiining, Mortising, Routing, Sanding, Shaping, Tenoning, Fluting, Rope Twisting Lebanon Oak Flooring Co. (Page 8) 215 Taylor Ave. P. O. Box 669 Lebanon, KY 40033-0669 Tel. (270) 692-2128 FAX (270) 692-2128 Web Page - www.lebanonoak.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Robert L. Goodin, Richard T. Goodin Lumber Sales - Charles R. Goodin Products - Mouldings, Furniture, Kitchen Dimension Parts, Panels, Panels Edge-Glued, Stair Treads, Risers, Railing, Blanks, 5/16 sq. Edged Flooring, Strips & Plank, 1/2 x 2 & 3/4 x 2-1/4 Tongue & Groove Flooring, Drawer Sides Species - Red & White Oak, Maple, Hickory, Cherry, Ash, Walnut Machining Capabilities - Finger Jointing, Sanding Dry Kiln Cap. - 270,000’ (4 Kilns) per week Dry Storage Cap. - 5-600,000’ Midwest Hardwood Corp. (Inside Back Cover) 9540 83rd Avenue North Maple Grove, MN 55369 Tel. (763) 425-8700 FAX (763) 391-6742 Web Site - www.midwesthardwood.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Mike Mallin, Bill Parks, Tom Henderson, Dan Hansen, Michael Pomeroy, Pat Gillespie, Joe Hines Products - Domestic & Imported Hardwood Lumber - Green or KD, Plywood, Melamine, Dimension, Gang Ripped Materials, Railroad Ties, Cants, Logs, Moulder Blank Rips, Dimension Blanks, Specialty Mouldings Species - European Beech, Baltic & Russian Birch, Andiroba, African Mahogany, Genuine Mahogany, Marupa, Cambara, Aniegre, Brazilian Cherry, Bolivian Rosewood, Burmese Teak, Makore, Sapele Machining Capabilities - Reedsburg, WI - 650,000 BF Predryer, Walnut Steamer, 520,000 BF Dry Kiln Cap.; Park Falls, WI - Sawmill; Hardwood Distribution Centers: Maple Grove, MN, Jackson, WI, Sioux Falls, SD, Omaha, NE; Hardwood Concentration Lumber Yards - Mellen, WI, Reedsburg, WI, Cadiz, KY Miller Wood Designs (Page 25) P.O. Box 425 Sugarcreek, OH 44681 Tel. (330) 852-0689 FAX (330) 852-0688 Web Page - www.millerwooddesigns.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Raymond Miller Products - Squares, Panels, Balusters Species - Red Oak, White Oak, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Poplar, Hickory, Brazilian Mahogany, Ash, Alder, Euro. Beech, Beech, Sapele, Walnut, Cherry, Jatoba Machining Capabilities - Sanding, Laminating, Edge Gluing, Milling, CNC, Copy Lathe Northern Wide Plank - A Division of (Page 53) Northern Prime Wood Products 5930 Lloydstown Road Schomberg, ON L0G 1T0 Tel. (905) 939-9858 FAX (905) 939-0646 E-Mail - [email protected] Lumber Sales - Joan Love, Shawn Peebles Flooring Sales - Adam Corney, Jamie Peebles Marketing Areas - National, International Employees - 30 Products - Hardwood Lumber, Eastern White Pine Lumber, Plank & Strip Flooring, Wall Paneling, Stair Parts, Mouldings (Crown & Baseboard Mouldings), Railings Species - Hard Maple, Red Oak, White Oak, Soft Maple, White Pine, White Ash, Yellow Birch, Black Cherry, Rift & Quartered Red Oak & White Oak, And Other Rift & Quartered Species Upon Request\ Machining Capabilities - Including Woodworking Plant & Sawmill Operation - Planer, Moulders, Rip Saw, Chop Saws, Band Resaw, Debarker, Double End Trimmer, Edger, Dry Kiln, Double Cut Band Head Saw Dry Storage Cap. - 10,000 SF Nova Dry Kiln, LLC (Page 1) 2310 East Market Street New Albany, IN 47150 Tel. (812) 949-0150 Toll Free (877) 949-0150 FAX (812) 949-0125 Web Site - www.novadrykiln.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Jack Meredith Products - Manufactures Dry Kilns Only - Small, Medium & Large Dry Kilns From 5,500 to 120,000 BF Chambers; Timber-Tike Kilns; Heat Treat Kilns Tel. (972) 225-4283 Tel. (800) 627-4826 FAX (972) 228-5987 Web Site - www.sitco.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Jon Pappas - [email protected] Pudge Shatzer - [email protected] Steve McKeever - [email protected] Bob Williams - [email protected] Jess Fulcher - [email protected] Donna Bliss - [email protected] Marc Barany - [email protected] Marketing Areas - National, International Products - Lumber, Plywood, S2S Hardwoods & Exotics Species - Imported & Domestic Hardwoods, Exotic Hardwoods Machining Capabilities - S2S, SLR1E Stanley Woodworking, Inc. (Page 175) 4113 White Top Road Middleburg, PA 17842 Tel. (570) 837-6434 FAX (570) 837-1637 Web Site - www.hardwoodparts.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Tom Fitzgerald Marketing Areas - National Employees - 33 Products - Mouldings, Dimension, Edge Glued Panels, Stair Parts, Furniture Parts, Billiard & Pool Table Parts, Laminated Parts, Squares, S4S Stock Species - Red Oak, White Oak, Cherry, Maples, Poplar, Ash, Mahogany, Hickory, Walnut, Basswood Machining Capabilities - Ripping, Chopsaws, Gluing, Moulding, Tenoning, Sanding, Finger Joint Dry Storage Cap. - 1,000,000’ H. A. Stiles Co. (Page 37) P. O. Box 779 Westbrook, ME 04098 Tel. (207) 854-8458 (800) 447-8537 FAX (207) 854-3863 Web Page - www.hastiles.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Ambrose Berry Products - Lumber, Mouldings, Dimension, Squares, Dowels, Turnings, Carvings, Legs, Stairway & Furniture Parts, Edge Glued Panels, Bending Stock, Dowel Parts (Button & Plugs), Dowel Pins, Cut-to-Length Stock Species - White Birch, Hard & Soft Maple, Red & White Oak, Cherry, Walnut, White & Yellow Ash, Sycamore, Hickory, Basswood, Cottonwood, Aspen, Beech, Poplar, Eastern White Pine, Mahogany, Ramin, Teak Machining Capabilities - Boring, Carving, Embossing, Finger Jointing, Mortising, Routing, Sanding, Shaping, Tenoning, Custom Services TBM Hardwoods, Inc. (Page 87) 100 Filbert Street Hanover, PA 17331 Tel. (800) 233-5137 FAX (717) 630-9706 Web Site - www.tbmhardwoods.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Don Bond - Sales Mgr. & Marketing Mgr. Marketing Areas - National Employees - 80 Products - Mouldings, Moulder Blanks, Primed Mouldings & Blanks, FSC Certified Supplier of Rough & Milled Hardwoods Species - 28 Domestic & Imported Hardwood Species Stocked, Including Mahogany, Spanish Cedar, Sapele, Sipo, Brazilian Cherry, Ash, Cherry, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Red Oak, White Oak, Poplar, FSC Supplier Of Hardwoods Machining Capabilities - Sanding, Surface & Ripping, Mouldings, Resawing, Priming Dry Kiln Cap. - 1,300,000 BF Dry Storage Cap. - 5,000,000 BF Thompson Forest Products Int’l (Page 4) 24-B Battleground Court (27408) P. O. Box 9206 Greensboro, NC 27429 Tel. (336) 373-1117 FAX (336) 373-1119 Web Page - www.thompsonforestproducts.com E-Mail - [email protected] [email protected] Sales - Billy Thompson, Bob Thompson Products - Dowels, Squares, Turnings, Edge Glued Panels, Dimension, Mouldings, Panels, Components, Drawer Sides, CNC Shaped Parts, Bed Posts, Table Legs, Chair Assemblies and Lumber Species - Ash, Maple, Birch, Beech, Hickory, Gum, Pine, Oak, Poplar Machining Capabilities - Sanding, Tenoning, Moulding, Shaping, Routing, Boring R. P. Wakefield (Page 6) P. O. Box 97 Waterloo, IN 46793 Tel. (260) 837-8841 FAX (260) 837-7548 Web Site - www.rpwakefield.com Web Site - www.americanfireplacemantels.com Sales - Mike Garber - [email protected] Marketing Areas - National Employees - 50 Products - Hardwood Mouldings, Edge Glued Panels, Sanded S3S Lumber, S4S Lumber, Moulder Blanks, Butcher Blocks, Drawer Sides, Door Jambs, Squares Species - Ash, Birch, Cherry, Red Oak, Soft & Hard Maple, Poplar, Walnut Machining Capabilities - Computerized Optimizing Cut-Off Saw, Computerized Optimizing Rip Saw, CNC Moulders, CNC Router, Sanding, Panel Gluing Walnut Creek Planing Ltd. (Page 33) 5778 State Route 515 Millersburg, OH 44654 Tel. (330) 893-3244 (800) 488-3244 FAX (330) 893-2468 E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Dwight C. Kratzer, Charles Kratzer Marketing Areas - International, National Employees - 60 Products - Squares, Balusters, Component Parts, Chair Parts, S2S & S4S Blanks, F/J & Laminated, Surveyor Stakes and Lumber Species - Red Oak, Poplar, Cherry, Maple, Beech Machining Capabilities - Sanding, Tenoning, Fingerjointing, Moulding, Ripping Yoder Lumber Company, Inc. (Page 242) 4515 Berlin Twp. Rd. 367 Millersburg, OH 44654 Tel. (330) 893-3121 FAX (330) 893-3031 Web Page - www.yoderlumber.com E-Mail - [email protected] Sales - Paul Dow Products - Moulder Blanks, Panels, Squares, Balusters, Machined & SemiMachined Components, Moulded Parts, Laminated Squares and Lumber Species - Red Oak, Poplar, Beech, Machining Capabilities - Sanding, Moulding, Gluing, PET, Ripping, S2S Dry Kiln Cap. - 500,000 BF Dry Storage Cap. - 2,500,000 BF Sitco Lumber Company (Page 13) 2050 Kestrel Ave. DeSoto, TX 75115 FOR MORE DETAILED SUPPLIER INFORMATION CHECK YOUR COPY OF THE DIMENSION & WOOD COMPONENTS BUYER’S GUIDE. EACH FIRM’S AD APPEARS ON THE PAGE NUMBER INDICATED IN “THE DIMENSION BOOK” ITSELF! (901) 372-8280 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ANNUAL WOOD COMPONENT DIRECTORY, CONTACT US AT IT’S THE ONLY WOOD TRADE PUBLICATION IN EXISTENCE THAT SOLELY PROMOTES THE DIMENSION AND WOOD COMPONENT INDUSTRY. Page 18 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer Buyers Travel To Tupelo Market For Deals, And Find Many Story/Photos By Deborah Armstrong The glider rocker, in forefront of photo, is a favorite among products manufactured by Northern Kentucky Cedar LLC in Maysville, Ky. Red Cedar comprises all the company’s products, including the four-poster bed in the photo. These handcrafted unique Pine bunkbeds with built-in drawers were a crowd-pleaser at the recent Tupelo Furniture Market. The product was exhibited by Woodcrest Manufacturing, located in Peru, Ind. Tupelo, Miss.–With the troubled economy casting a dark cloud over the 21-year-old Tupelo Furniture Market (TFM), held here recently, dealers and buyers converged on this bi-annual event in search of deals, not high-end products, according to sources at the event. They were not disappointed. Lee Scott, vice president of sales at Harden Mfg., which makes furniture using Pine, as well as cherry, maple, This Pine entertainment center is an efficient use of space and size, and big enough to hold a wide screen television with plenty of storage space. The product is a top seller for its maker, County Expressions Inc., of Double Springs, Ala. and oak, commented that people were looking for value and bargains, “and we’re also seeing growing interest in furniture made domestically, which is good for us.” TFM opened at a brisk pace and O`Ylkgmjk][j]llg [j]Ylaf_\jqogg\7 O]9aflL]ddaf& Eastern White Pine 4/4 & 5/4 We know quality matters to you and the customers you serve. To us, quality means delivering the best Eastern White Pine in the industry. ‘ It s why we’ve invested in the highest level of advanced drying technology available. The result? Our wood is absolutely dry and consistently graded. Guaranteed! Bold statement? Yup. But then again, we’ve got the wood to back it up. Robbins Lumber Searsmont, Maine www.rlco.com Ph: 207-342-5221 Fx: 207-342-5201 remained strong all weekend, while finally waning somewhat on the closing Monday and Tuesday dates. TFM President Bill Cleveland noted that “the people that are here are the people who are writing orders.” He added that the word he kept hearing from exhibitors regarding attendees was “steady.” They weren’t overrun with people looking at their exhibits, but the flow of traffic was consistent. The vast majority were in search of bargains they could sell fairly quickly to their customers, and a representative from Woodcrest Manufacturing, concurred that “there’s some really good furniture and products (at TFM). Buyers came to see a lot of good values, and they are getting what they came looking for.” His firm displayed, among other items, bunk beds made of Pine. Most exhibitors who were interviewed praised the quality of the dealers who came out this winter, as many committed to writing orders. One manufacturer of high-end wood products, though, lamented that firms in his category did not fare as well as companies that produced lesser quality furnishings and products. “Buyers are definitely taking into consideration the fact that their customers are dealing with very tough economic challenges, and so they have been focused on the value buys, not on high-end products,” he added. TFM typically attracts about 35,000 attendees, and as the show closed, attendance figures hovered near the average total as previous years. There were fewer exhibiting companies represented than in previous years, yet still enough to fill the TFM showrooms. Historically, TFM has proven to be one of the largest order-writing markets in the country and spans 2 million square feet of exhibitor space, all on one level. In addition to the exhibitor’s booths, the Manufacturer’s Representative Award is presented, which goes to the sales rep who has played a significant role in the market. This year’s honoree is Fred Brooks with United Furniture. Brooks has been in the industry more than 40 years, both on the manufacturing and retail side. For more information on the Tupelo Furniture Market, visit its website at www.tupelofurnituremarket.com. • March/April 2009 Page 19 Homer Earll Recognized For More Than 60 Years In Industry Tom Jones, Homer Earll and Jody Boates, The Teal-Jones Group, Surrey, B.C. Surrey, B.C.–When Homer Earll was 15 years old, and this country was in the grips of a major world war, his father, William, found himself short-handed in his lumberyard since most of his male employees were away serving their country. That particular war changed the course of history, not only for the world, but also for Homer, who recently retired from The Teal-Jones Group at the age of 82. “I have spent a lifetime serving the lumber industry,” Homer said, “and the industry has been good to me. My first job was unloading Ponderosa Pine boards from a freight car for the company my father represented, Southern States Lumber Company in Laurens, S.C.” During the summers and holidays, Homer continued to work with his dad. He graduated from Garden City High School (N.Y.) and subsequently earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Western Maryland College in Westminster, Md. “Education was a priority in our household,” noted Homer. “My dad didn’t ask me to give up school for work. He wouldn’t have considered that. But the time I did spend at the lumberyard helped prepare me for the future after I finished school.” Homer’s future was filled with opportunity after opportunity in the lumber industry. After graduating from college, Homer worked in sales and operated a distribution center in Lenox, Mass. In 1959, he accepted a position with Oregon Plywood Corporation in Buffalo, N.Y., where his life took a rather dramatic change. “Buffalo is where sales got into my blood,” said Homer. “I was in that city only two years, but it was a huge opportunity. For the first time I was exposed to manufacturers sales to wholesalers in a large market.” Armed with the knowledge of how to oversee the needs of both producers and distributors, Homer was ready to venture out into his own business. In April 1959, he opened Earll Forest Products (EFP), which “was a representation business of manufacturers to wholesalers. This type of operation was more common in those days as there were about 100 West Coast plywood mills, many in need of such representation. So my company filled a need.” During the 1960s, Homer undertook sales for several Cedar Shake and Shingle producers, and this product line eventually became paramount. Frequent trips to the mills provided invaluable experience in manufacturing and grading. Until 1990, EFP operated under Homer’s guidance. The fact that the company survived through decades of change in the industry is due to Homer’s ability to guide the firm through product diversification. “We did everything from Fir plywood to hardwood plywood to specialty hardwood paneling by the time I retired in 1990,” Homer said. “Another specialty was Fir gutter; now, that was an interesting venture and generated over 1 million feet of sales in some years.” But Cedar prevailed. Prior to Homer’s retirement, which subsequently was short-lived, his son, Kenneth, joined him in EFP’s operation. Homer had only been in retirement a Co-workers at The Teal-Jones Group gathered recently to honor Homer Earll in observance of his retirement. few months when the Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau, which he initially became familiar with in the 1960s, contacted him with the offer of a part-time position as a northeast representative, emphasizing educational activities to architects and builders. In 2004, Homer tried once again to retire, but, various industry representatives were not yet ready to lose the insight of such a knowledgeable industry member. Among offers presented him, one from Teal-Jones Group particularly appealed to him, and so, for the next four years he was that firm’s part-time marketing representative throughout the Mid-Atlantic states and northeast. “There are so many excellent companies in our industry, and Teal-Jones is among the finest in my opinion,” Homer said. “When they invited me to join them, I knew this company had a product line of unquestionable quality. Also, their number one goal was to always keep the customer happy. And while customer issues were rare, when one did arise, I knew I had the company’s permission to do whatever it took to satisfy that client and retain that account. Working with Teal-Jones was a wonderful way to bring to culmination a long and rewarding career.” Homer’s retirement from The TealJones Group was recently acknowledged during the Lumber and Building Continued on page 24 It doesn’t get Greener than Red. Mary’s River Western Red Cedar, that is. Mary’s River Lumber Company has been committed to environmental stewardship since its inception over 35 years ago. From our energy efficient, stateof-the-art plants, to our proficient use of timber resources, Mary’s River is a leader in Red Cedar “green” production. Western Red Cedar’s warm tone, natural grain, and rich texture make it the product of choice for siding, decking, railing, and fascia, and, no one does Western Red Cedar like Mary’s River. Give us a call at 1-800-523-2052 Western Red Cedar is by nature “green.” Mary’s River Red Cedar is manufactured from abundant, fast growing, second-growth resources. It is durable, decay and insect resistant, has no chemical preservatives, is clean and safe to handle, and is 100% renewable, unlike cement and plastic composites. Mary’s River’s manufacturing requires less energy than steel, cement-based wood substitutes, and plastic-based composites. Our plants are closely regulated for environmental compliance. Mary’s River Lumber Co. 4515 NE Elliott Circle Corvallis, OR 97330 Toll Free 800-523-2052 Fax 541-752-5143 www.marysriverlumber.com Page 20 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer IBS Continued from page 1 housing experts. The builder’s annual home show was hard to miss at IBS. The 2,426-square-foot two-story modular home was shipped to the convention center days before the show opened. The contemporary home, designed by Kieran Timberlake Associates of Philadelphia reportedly satisfies several housing goals, including a financially affordable, green-built, well-designed house. It features stacked, 500-squarefoot modules that create the home’s main living areas, panelized walls, floor and roof system demonstrate the flexibility of the factory-built concept as the framework for an upstairs third bedroom that is supported by a carport below. Designers of the home stated that this “hybrid approach” to home building – combining modular and panelized systems – foreshadows the industry’s future. In addition to the latest products on display in the exhibition hall, featured guest speakers shared their insight and 250 educational seminars were available for attendees. Among the many seminars, these are some samples: One Size Does Not Fit All: Managing Generations In The Workplace; Data Driven Design: Developing Plans That Create Customer Loyalty; Workforce Housing That Works. Among the guest speakers were: Andrew Winston, founder of Winston Eco-Strategies, who spoke about ‘Turning Green To Gold: Environmental Business Practices Drive Long-Term Growth’; Kevin Freiberg, founder and CEO of the San Diego Consulting Group Inc., whose address was entitled ‘Seven Essential Choices To Skyrocketing Success; and Peter Hart, a highly regarded analyst in the U.S., who spoke on ‘Changing Rules You Can Capitalize On.’ During IBS, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) conducted its annual Green Day, a professional development presentation. From assistance in exploring employment opportunities in challenging times to discussing career trends in residential construction, Green Day also highlighted new earth-friendly programs, products and services. Attendees and guests were also treated to several social networking opportunities during IBS and enjoyed various entertainment options, including a reception with live musical entertainment presented by The Beach Boys. Editor’s Note: In the January/February issue of The Softwood Forest Products Buyer, this photo was inadvertently omitted of the exhibitor’s booth and company representatives from SASCO, Inc. at the North American Wholesale Lumber Association’s Traders Market in Chicago, Ill. Pictured for SASCO, Inc. are Chris Cary and Jeremy Hosford whose offices are located in Phoenix, Ariz.. SASCO, Inc., Southern Arizona Stud Company, produces finger-joint studs, 2x3, 2x4, 2x6, in lengths up to 10’ (custom lengths considered). SPF/HF, full or partial truckloads-Mixed truckloads OK. Contact the company at Tel: 602-353-9300 or E-mail: www.fjstuds.com • NRLA/LBM Continued from page 1 Weyerhaeuser, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co., REEB, Spruce Computer Systems and Typar . L U F I T U A E B , H T CLEAN, SMOO BER. NOT US.) ( THE LUM ALL OF THE ABOVE, OUR YELLOW PINE’S BEEN WE HAVE TO BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN DARDS. “DRESS UP” TO THOSE STAN Weather Protection System. According to a spokeperson for NRLA, “while there was less attendance at the LBM Expo this year, the major decision makers from retail organizations throughout the northeast were present, and exhibitors were happy with the business they were doing.” The theme for the three-day LBM Expo 2009 was Mission Impossible: Engineering Prosperity. Daily guest speakers offered insight and advice to those who chose to attend. Topics for some of those educational sessions included: Yardstick for Success: How Does Your Business Measure Up?, Matt Kay, Caturano & Co. Ltd.; Greenbuilding – Can Science Trust Activist Agendas?, Patrick Moore, Ph.D., Greenspirit Strategies; and Strategies For Combating The Industry Downturn, Craig Webb, ProSales Magazine. In addition to the education aspect of the LBM Expo, various associations in the region were afforded the opportunity to host board of director meetings, membership meetings, and the NRLA hosted an industry recognition dinner. For more information about NRLA or the LBM Expo, contact the NRLA headquarters in Rensselaer, N.Y., at 518286-1010. • NAWLA FIX HOUSING Continued from page 1 BEAUTIFUL LUMBERS CE BEAUTIFUL + PRI +++ + + + + + CALL 252-771-2497 WHOLESALE & EXPORT Southern Yellow Pine Chip Mill 1443 Northside Road Elizabeth City, NC 27909 www.jwjoneslumber.com “The vast majoriy – 91 percent – of the members polled in our survey said that buyers are staying out of the market because they cannot sell their homes,” said David Crowe, NAHB’s chief economist. “Also, 88 percent said that buyers are reluctant because of fears about employment and the economy. Concern over jobs and the economy has increased significantly since (mid-2008) when 63 percent of the builders surveyed cited it as a cause for consumer reluctance.” Additionally, 75 percent of the builders surveyed said that buyers believe home prices will drop further, and 68 percent said that buyers think it is hard to get financing. “These results make it clear that Congress must include significant housing measures in any economic stimulus legislation that it enacts,” Crowe said. “Traditionally, housing leads the economy into recession and is the first sector to recover. It is also important that Congress act swiftly because more than a third of the builders (34 percent) reported that buyers are staying out of the market because they think that interContinued on page 21 March/April 2009 Page 21 NAWLA FIX HOUSING Continued from page 20 site accessible information, design software and publications. WHO’S WHO - Descalzi Continued from page 2 • est rates will drop in response to government action.” “Builders reported that current home sales are down dramatically in every price range compared to a year ago, but indicated that the declines are most pronounced in the upper ranges,” Crowe said. Sales of homes priced under $150,000 have dropped 27 percent, and sales of homes in the $150,000 to $249,999 range are down 34 percent. However, builders reported that sales of homes priced $250,000 to $499,999 dropped 57 percent and sales in the $500,000 to $999,999 range dropped by 64 percent. Sales of homes costing $1 million or more were down 56 percent. “Declines of this magnitude in every price range point up the necessity for Congress to act quickly,” Crowe said. He also noted that about 7 in 10 builders cut their prices in the fourth quarter of 2008, and six in 10 made no profit as a result. A significant number of those who reported that they didn’t make a profit in the fourth quarter – 38 percent – reported that they were selling homes below cost. Although the survey results reflected declining sales and a great deal of pessimism about the market, they also indicated that builders are adapting to the realities of the market. Eighty-nine percent of the builders surveyed said they are building lower priced homes, and 88 percent said they are building smaller homes, a trend that has accelerated since May of 2008, Crowe said. At the recent International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, a subdued group of economists agreed on one thing: the housing market will continue to weaken this year. NAHB’s Crowe was among the speakers and he said, “My forecast is built upon an imbalance of supply and demand. He estimated that the country has more than 1.5 million existing and new homes available for sale or rent. He added that overbuilding by new-home builders is not a contributing factor in the excess supply of homes. Crowe said that less than one-third of those 1.5 million excess homes are new. “What builders are facing is an oversupply of homes not entirely of their making,” he noted. Foreclosures are among the leading factors leading to the crisis in the housing market, he added. Additionally, according to an analysis of loans in Freddie Mac’s own portfolio, the biggest trigger for a mortgage becoming delinquent is unemployment, and now analysts are predicting unemployment nationwide could rise as high as 8.5 percent by the end of this year. Ironically, WHO’S WHO - Andrews Continued from page 2 Oregon. Andrews is responsible for two plywood mills, which includes veneer production at both locations. The plywood mills produce sanded, siding, Sturd-I-Floor, MDO and HDO overlays and industrial panels. The Springfield, Ore., mill manufactures 9-foot and 10-foot panels. Both mills can rip the panels. The company is a member of the American Plywood Assoc., and the Products Standards Committee. Andrews has been in his present position for several months. He began his career in the forest products industry 30 years ago as a supervisor for Willamette Industries in Lebanon, Ore. His other responsibilities have included sawmill supervisor, general foreman, superintendent, industrial engineer/analyst, product line manager and general manager. Andrews received a bachelor’s degree in business/finance from Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore. He and his wife of 34 years, Sonya, have three children. Andrews enjoys hunting. • air dried, S4S), tongue and groove, moulded sidings and Eastern Red Cedar. Cape May Box LLC purchases approximately 300,000 board feet of lumber annually. Descalzi has been in his present position for eight years. He began his career in the forest products industry knot bumping in Kodiak, Alaska, in 1998. He also cut White Cedar for two local mills in New Jersey for six years. Descalzi is a graduate of The Peddie School in Hightstown, N.J. He received a bachelor’s degree in art history from the American University of Paris in Paris, France. Descalzi and his wife of seven years, Stacy, have two children. He enjoys hunting and golf. • APA NEWS - WHO’S WHO - Eldridge Continued from page 2 species as Douglas Fir, Hem-Fir, FirLarch and SPF. The company purchases multi-millions of board feet of lumber annually. Eldridge has been in his present posi- WHO’S WHO - Parish Continued from page 2 120,000 board feet of lumber annually, and can custom build wooden outdoor structures. Parish has been in his current position for 20 years. He began his career in the forest products industry framing houses in 1975. Parish is a graduate of North Garland High School in Garland, Texas. He and Continued on page 22 Zip-O-Log Mills produces hand-crafted, top-quality timbers to the specifications and requirements of each customer in lengths to 52' and 48" x 48" dimensions. Zip-O-Log Mills maintains an inventory of stock posts, beams and stringers to complement its custom timber capabilities. Call the Zip-O-Log Timber Team for the highest quality, solid-sawn timbers and unmatched service. G The warmth and natural beauty of Douglas fir timbers for exposed timber applications G We select trees that meet size and quality criteria from environmentally managed Douglas fir forests. G Logs are carefully milled to exact specifications based on customer’s requirements. G Quality control for exceptional appearance and grade G Mixed stock and custom tallies with on-time delivery– Zip-O prides itself in producing not just the biggest timbers, but the best. Continued from page 2 Sales 541-343-5854 alliance of North American wood products industry associations. The program is aggressively addressing the need to educate target audiences on the various technical issues related to nonresidential wood design and construction through seminars and workshops, Wood Solutions Fairs, trade shows, direct mail, trade media publicity and advertising, direct user and specifier support, web- • • at the same time, mortgage rates are at historic lows: 4.96 percent for a conforming, 30-year, fixed-rate loan. For more information, contact Mark Palmer at NAWLA ([email protected]), or visit NAHB’s website at www.nahb.org. Crowe predicts builders will sell 420,000 homes this year. The first quarter of this year is expected to be the low point in sales volume in 2009. He also foresees residential construction bottoming out in the second quarter of this year. tion for 4 1/2 years. He began his career in inside sales at Simpson Building Supply, a division of Simpson Timber Co., in 1974. Eldridge has also worked in sales for Georgia Pacific, Matthews Lumber Co. and Millwork Concepts Inc., which he also co-owned. Eldridge is a graduate of Enumclaw High School in Enumclaw, Wash. He received a bachelor’s degree in production management/marketing from Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Wash. Eldridge served as an advanced communications officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Gordon, Ga. Eldridge is a member of Hoo-Hoo International. Eldridge and his wife of 30 years, Chris, have two children. He enjoys golf, hiking and travel. Eugene, Oregon 541-343-7758 • Fax 541-683-4241 www.zipolog.com Page 22 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer WHO’S WHO - Parish Continued from page 21 his wife of 28 years, Nancy, have two children. • WHO’S WHO - Speck Continued from page 2 began crafting furniture. Now the firm sells products worldwide. T&L Cedar Lawn Furniture is a member of Buy Idaho, Buhl Chamber of Commerce and a Ducks Unlimited corporate sponsor. Speck grew up in Enumclaw, Wash., and graduated high school there. He and his wife Leasa have been married 28 years and are parents to one daughter and one son. Speck enjoys duck hunting and snowmobiling. • WHO’S WHO - Haddock Continued from page 2 are 8-feet through 26-feet long. Haddock purchases 60 million board feet annually of Softwood and plywood combined counting the firm’s treating plants in Orangeburg and Sumter, S.C., woodworking plant in Branchville, S.C., and Southern Yellow Pine shingle and remanufacturing factory also in Orangeburg, S.C. called Palmetto. Haddock began in the forest products industry with Cox Wood Preserving Co. in 1972, and has been with this same company throughout his career of 36 years. Haddock is a graduate of Lincoln High School, presently Sumter High School, in Sumter, S.C. He received a bachelor of science and management degree from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., where he graduated in 1973. He and his wife of 36 years, Diane, have a son, a daughter and two grandsons. In his leisure time, he enjoys fishing and hunting. Among other organizations, Cox Wood Preserving Co. is a member of the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assoc., the Southern Pine Council, the Southern Forest Products Assoc. and the American Wood Protection Assoc. • Yellow Pine treated lumber No. 1 and 2, 2x4’s through 2x12’s, 8-feet to 20-feet long, and timbers, 4x4’s, 8x8’s, etc. that CANBY Continued from page 4 treated Cedar, primed finger-jointed Cedar, primed Whitewood, clear vertical grain Cedar, and Fir and Hemlock lumber that a customer might need,” Guisinger said. “All our boards are kilndried lumber as well. We find it makes a more beneficial product in the Northwest when combating the moisture content that may inhibit the preservation of lumber for building with our climate.” Canby buys millions of board feet annually from mainly Pacific Northwest sawmills. “All of our lumber and plywood come from local mills here in the Northwest,” Morse said. “We support American manufacturers by stocking as many U.S. made products as possible. Our sales team has over 200 years combined experience, and therefore, we can confidently offer expert product knowledge and advice. Our friendly staff is available to answer questions and assist customers with each phase of their building projects.” Salesmen at Canby Builders Supply work directly with contractors to get them materials they need to build homes, and develop very close relationship with them. This results in their return, and in part, they contribute a large percentage of sales for the com- Hampton ships from our seven mills and four reload locations in Oregon, Washington, California, and British Columbia. DIMENSION LUMBER • • • • Green/Dry Douglas Fir Green/Dry Hem-Fir Spruce, Pine, Fir (SPF) European Spruce PANEL PRODUCTS • • • • • • • • OSB Sanded Plywood Sheathing Underlayments Marine Grades Melamine Particleboard Rough Sawn Sidings STUD LUMBER • 2x4 5’ to 10’ PET • 2x6 6’ to 10’ PET • Web Stock ENGINEERED WOOD Hampton’s Willamina timberlands at sunrise SHARING THE FUTURE Hampton employees are dedicated to environmental stewardship and energy conservation on all fronts – expanding sustainable forestry and carbon sequestration practices, reducing mill fuel consumption and even car-pooling to work. We’re now investing in ‘green’ technologies to boost efficiency and capacity at our seven mills. Our cogeneration plant at Darrington, Washington, uses mill waste to fire dry kilns while generating electricity for sale to the local public utility. Careful management of our 167,000 acres of Northwest timberland and 300,000 acres of publicly owned BC forest land ensures we can meet future market needs while protecting the environment. Hampton handles trees from seedling to stud, offering a full range of quality products, backed by streamlined transport, reload and just-in-time delivery services. We work closely with our customers to meet every special need, from customized products to rush shipments. Call and tell us how we can help you. HAMPTON LUMBER SALES • • Roseburg Framing System™; Joists, Headers, Beams, Rimboard CLEARS & INDUSTRIAL LUMBER • 1x2 to 4x 12 • Lengths 2’ to 24’ • Domestic and Export Grades • Surfacing and Standard Patterns • Custom Patterns and Packaging • Bar Coding • Length Merchandising pany, making up about 70 percent of customer base with the remaining 30 percent as do-it-yourselfers. The company also carries a line of tools. If a customer is looking for tools to work on a home project, or a professional job, Canby has the equipment. The tool department is complete with power tools, miter saws and more on display from the leading brands like Hitachi, Milwaukee, Makita and Dewalt, to name a few. A full line of interior and exterior paints and primers are also carried. Of course, providing service is a key element within the company. Some of the services offered include: pneumatic tool repair; computerized paint matching; re-keying; mobile service trucks; special order products; delivery service; re-screen/new screen installation; delivery service; storm door installation; saw blade sharpening; locksmithing; blue print copying; scanning; and e-mailing. The Morse family has a long history in the lumber and building supply business. Clayton Morse, Dick’s father, owned several lumberyards on the Oregon coast, headquartered in Astoria, Ore. Dick attended the University of Oregon and served in the Army during WWII. He then moved to Newport and worked at Newport Builders Supply as a salesman. Several years later, Dick decided that he wanted to own his own business. He and his wife, Carol Lee, purchased Canby Builders Supply in November 1958. Dick’s motto was “If the sun is up, the lumberyard is open.” At that time, Canby Builders Supply was located in downtown Canby, and the yard operated with a total of seven employees. The old building had a very colorful past. It had formerly been used as a dance hall, a blacksmith shop and a tire repair shop. As the years went by, the building was progressively remodeled. A new warehouse was added and the lumber storage yard was upgraded. However, Canby Builders Supply continued to grow. “In 1999, we seized the opportunity to relocate our overcrowded lumber business,” Morse said. “The new building tripled our lumber stock and warehouse storage capacity. The expansion allowed us to greatly increase our hardware inventory space.” Canby Builders Supply leads the industry in the Pacific Northwest for computer integrated sales, shipping and bookkeeping systems. Dick’s sons, Steve and Jim, have also remained in the industry and own several stores in the Portland metropolitan market, stretching to the north in Vancouver, Wash., and down to the south in Bend, Ore. Today, the five lumberyards owned by the Morse family support over 170 families. The customer who walks into a Morse family lumberyard today has over $6 million in inventory to pick from, which is located on 20 acres in five locations. It may be delivered on any of 50 trucks driven by one of the 170 employees. Gross sales now exceed $50 million. “When a customer places a call to any of the Morse family yards, they are just as important to us as that first customer was in 1959,” Morse said. As a long-standing business in the community, Canby Builders Supply has earned the reputation of being an outstanding leader, supporter and champion of local causes. “We are involved in many areas of the community including 4H, Rotary, Kiwanis, local public schools, city, performing arts and scholarships,” Morse said. The company has also made donations to the Canby Junior Festival of Jazz recently in 2005, 2006, and 2007, and donated to the Hope Village Annual Auction in support for the care of local senior citizens. Additionally, the company has supported construction of its local Vietnam War memorial. With customer service king at Canby Builders Supply, customers will be coming back for many more years to come. For more information, contact Canby Builders Supply at 503-266-2244. • CORPORATE OFFICE PORTLAND, OR w w w . h a m p t o n a ffi l i a t e s . c o m •
Similar documents
CLA Convention Attracts Registrants NAWLA Regionals Attract
Gary Miller - Vice President/Managing Editor Paul Miller Jr. - Vice President/Assistant Managing Editor Terry Miller - Vice President/Associate Editor Doug Knowles - Vice President/Editor Canada & ...
More information